Boston College Falls in Five-Set Decision to Wake Forest

Friday, October 9

Winston-Salem, NC

6:30 PM

Boston College

10-6,1-4ACC

Wake Forest

7-9,1-4ACC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Boston College	20	25	25	20	12	2
Wake Forest	25	17	22	25	15	3

Game Notes

Photo by: Jacob Sterling / jbsterlingphotography

October 09, 2026 | Volleyball

Box Score Game Book

Move to 1-4 in ACC play as they take on N.C. State Sunday afternoon

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Boston College Volleyball (10-6, 1-4 ACC) dropped a five-set decision (20-25, 25-17, 25-22, 20-25, 12-15) to Wake Forest (7-9, 1-4 ACC) on Friday evening at Reynolds Gym.

Audrey Ross led the offense with a double-double, recording 13 kills and 10 digs alongside four blocks. Reese Dunkle anchored a towering net defense with a match-high 10 blocks as BC compiled 18.0 total team blocks. Naomi Watson added seven blocks and six kills on an .857 hitting percentage, while Sam Hoppes logged eight kills and six blocks. Brooklyn Yelland posted a match-high 25 digs, with Lucie Vesela (20 assists) and Ava McBride (19 assists) guiding the attack.

Wake Forest used an early run to build momentum in the opening set, though Boston College stayed within striking distance. Hoppes' kill tied the frame at 3-3, and Tiani Shaw's service ace gave the Eagles a 6-5 lead. The Demon Deacons answered with a 5-0 run to take a 13-8 advantage. Boston College rallied to within a point at 20-19 after a Dunkle kill, but Wake Forest closed out the set with a 5-1 run to take the opener, 25-20.

Boston College responded with a dominant second-set performance. After taking a 7-2 lead behind net pressure from Watson and Dunkle, the Eagles expanded their cushion midway through the frame. With Vesela at the service line, Boston College engineered a 5-0 run highlighted by a Hoppes kill and a combined block from Hoppes and Watson to surge ahead 20-10. Isabelle Poehlein and Ross put down late kills to secure the set 25-17 and level the match.

The third set was a back-and-forth battle with six ties and two lead changes. Sofija Marjanovic set the early tone with a service ace, and the Eagles snapped a 9-9 tie with a 3-0 surge capped by a Dunkle/Ross block assist. Leading 15-14, Shaw sparked a crucial 4-0 run with back-to-back service aces, extending the Eagles' lead to 19-14. Wake Forest closed the gap to 24-22, but Ross put away the set-winning kill to give BC a 25-22 victory and a 2-1 match lead.

Wake Forest struck back in the fourth set to keep the match alive. Boston College took an early 4-1 lead after a Watson/Ross block assist, but the Demon Deacons used a 5-0 run to break an 11-11 deadlock and take a 16-11 lead. Chloe Allcroft sparked off the bench with two late kills, and Vesela added a service ace to bring the Eagles within 23-20, but Wake Forest secured the final two points for a 25-20 win and forced a fifth frame.

The decisive fifth set featured nine ties and five lead changes in a tense finish. Watson and Poehlein's block gave Boston College an early 3-2 lead, and a Marjanovic kill put the Eagles ahead 7-6. After a Ross kill tied the score at 11-11, Wake Forest capitalized on late execution to push ahead 14-11 before completing the 15-12 set win and match victory.

NOTES

Audrey Ross recorded a double-double with 13 kills, 10 digs, four blocks, and a service ace.
Reese Dunkle posted a match-high 10 blocks (all assists) to go along with five kills.
Brooklyn Yelland anchored the back line with a match-high 25 digs and two assists.
Naomi Watson hit .857 with six kills and seven blocks (one solo, six assists).
Sam Hoppes added eight kills on a .333 hitting percentage with six blocks.
Tiani Shaw delivered a match-high three service aces.
Boston College registered 18.0 total team blocks.