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Aug. 29, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team (2-1, 0-0 ACC) will play host to the annual Marriott Jefferson Cup Friday and Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium. The Cavaliers welcome Norfolk State, Temple and Arkansas to town for the event. Admission to all matches is free.
The action begins at 5 p.m. Friday with Temple and Norfolk State opening the event. Virginia and Arkansas will follow at 7 p.m. in a match that will be broadcast live on ACC Select.
On Saturday, the Cavaliers and Spartans will meet at 1 p.m., following the Arkansas-Temple contest at 11 a.m. Norfolk State and the Razorbacks will kick off the evening session at 5 p.m. with UVa and the Owls playing in the nightcap at 7 p.m.
SERIES INFORMATION
Against Arkansas: 0-1Last Meeting: Sept. 15, 2000 in Fayetteville, Ark.Result: Arkansas, 3-0 (15-9, 15-9, 15-4)
Against Norfolk State: First meeting
Against Temple: 4-1Last Meeting: Sept. 18, 1993 in Charlottesville, Va.Result: Virginia, 3-0 (15-2, 15-7, 15-1)
LAST TIME OUT
Virginia started the 2007 campaign on a good note, finishing 2-1 in the Las Vegas Tournament last weekend. The Cavaliers won their season opener with Texas Tech 3-1. UVa then outlasted 2006 NCAA Tournament participant Arizona State 3-2 Saturday before falling to host UNLV 3-0 in the event’s finale.
KIRKWOOD SETS CAREER ACES RECORD
Fourth-year outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood set Virginia’s career record for service aces in UVa’s season-opener against Texas Tech (Aug. 24). Kirkwood blasted seven aces in that match to surpass her sister Emily as the program’s all-time leader. She currently has 173 career aces.
ANOTHER RECORD WATCH
Kirkwood moved up from fifth place to third on UVa’s career kills list over the weekend. Kirkwood has 1,419 career kills and needs 66 to tie Deanna Zwarich at the top of the list.
UVA in HOME OPENERS
Virginia is 22-6 all-time in home openers and has won the last 14 in Charlottesville. The last time the Cavaliers dropped their first home match was Sept. 1, 1993, a 3-2 loss to George Washington.
A GLANCE AT ARKANSAS
Arkansas, who received votes in the latest AVCA/CSTV coaches poll, is 3-1 after the first week of play. The Lady Razorbacks dropped their season-opener to ACC foe Georgia Tech, 3-1, but bounced back to close the weekend with wins over Pittsburgh (3-0) and Pepperdine (3-2). Arkansas was back in action Tuesday, defeating Oral Roberts at home, 3-1.
A GLANCE AT NORFOLK STATE
Norfolk State is still looking for its first win of the season. The squad opened play at the North Carolina Central Tournament last Friday and suffered 3-0 losses to Elon and North Carolina Central. On Saturday, the Spartans were swept by Loyola and Campbell and are 0-4 heading into the Jefferson Cup.
A GLANCE AT TEMPLE
Temple is 2-3 heading into action in the Jefferson Cup. Last weekend, the Owls tallied wins over Rider (3-0) and Lehigh (3-0) but fell to Youngstown State (3-2) and Akron (3-1). Temple was back in action Tuesday and lost a 3-2 match to Delaware.
CAVALIER SCOUTING REPORT
Virginia returns five starters, including libero Melissa Caldwell, and nine letterwinners for the 2007 season. The Cavaliers also boast two AVCA All-Americans in outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood (honorable mention 2005) and middle Katie Oakes (honorable mention 2006). Joining Kirkwood at OH is second-year Lauren Dickson, who was named to the ACC All-Freshmen Team a year ago. Middle Shannon Davis is a two-year starter and Caldwell, in three seasons, is the program’s career leader in digs per game. Marlow Bruneau, who backed up All-American Emily Kirkwood the previous two seasons, ran the team all spring as the lone setter. A talented group of five newcomers is expected to make an impact right away for head coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton.
PRESEASON PICKS
Virginia was picked to finish third in the ACC preseason poll released Aug. 8. Additionally, fourth-years Sarah Kirkwood and Katie Oakes were named to the 18-member preseason All-ACC team. Defending conference champion Duke was picked to finish first.
2006: A LOOK BACK
Virginia recorded its fourth consecutive winning season in 2006, finishing with a 23-8 record and a 16-6 mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cavaliers placed second in the ACC, tying their highest finish in program history. Additionally, head coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton claimed her 200th career victory, two more Cavaliers (Emily Kirkwood and Katie Oakes) were lauded with All-America honors and for the first time in history, the program had a First Team Academic All-American (Sarah Kirkwood).
MURCZEK JOINS STAFF
Assistant coach Ken Murczek joined the Virginia volleyball team shortly before preseason. Murczek, a Chicago native, spent the previous two seasons as an assistant at Western Michigan.
2007 TEAM CAPTAINS
Fourth-years Sarah Kirkwood and Taylor Russo and third-year Marlow Bruneau are serving as Virginia’s captains this year. It is the second consecutive year in the role for Kirkwood, who also was the captain as a third-year.
UP NEXT
Virginia will close non-conference play at the San Diego Tournament next weekend. The Cavaliers will face Oklahoma at 5 p.m. PT next Friday in the event’s opener. UVa also will face host San Diego and UC Santa Barbara before returning home.