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Virginia Plays Host to BC, Maryland This Weekend
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team (8-6, 3-2 ACC) welcomes Boston College and Maryland to Memorial Gymnasium for matches this weekend. The Cavaliers will face the Eagles (8-7, 2-3 ACC) at 7 p.m. Friday before taking on the Terps (10-4, 2-3 ACC) at 5 p.m. Saturday. The match Friday with BC will be broadcast live on ACC Select at www.accselect.com.
SERIES INFORMATION
Against Boston College: Virginia leads 5-0
Last Meeting: Nov. 4, 2006 in Charlottesville
Result: Virginia, 3-0 (30-20, 30-25, 30-21)
Also in 2006: The Cavaliers also won the first meeting back on Sept. 28 at BC, 3-1
Against Maryland: Maryland leads 33-14
Last Meeting: Nov. 3, 2006 in Charlottesville
Result: Virginia, 3-0 (30-18, 30-25, 30-20)
Also in 2006: Virginia swept the first meeting on Sept. 30 in College Park
HOOS AMONG ACC LEADERS
Several Cavaliers rank among the top 10 in the latest statistical reports from the ACC. Sarah Kirkwood is second in the league in kills, averaging 4.58 per game. That mark trails Duke’s Carrie DeMange, who puts up 5.09 kpg. Additionally, Kirkwood ranks fifth in service aces. Melissa Caldwell is seventh among the ACC dig leaders with 4.21 dpg. Teammate Katie Oakes stands fourth in blocks, averaging 1.43 bpg.
A GLANCE AT BOSTON COLLEGE
Boston College stands at 8-7 overall and 2-3 in conference play. Last weekend, the Eagles split two home contests, beating NC State 3-1 but falling to North Carolina 3-0. BC has yet to win a road contest this season with an 0-3 mark away from Chestnut Hill.
Boston College currently leads the league in service aces, tallying 134 in 50 games this season. Individually, three Eagles rank in the top 10, including Abigail Hasebroock (20 aces), Kristen Whalley (20) and Brittany Pierpont (18). Also among ACC leaders, Kelsey Johnson is tied for fourth averaging four kills per game (200 total). Pierpont is sixth in assists, averaging 10.30 per game and Cathy Quilico is eighth in digs, averaging 4.06 per game.
A GLANCE AT MARYLAND
Maryland is a solid 10-4 overall but is 2-3 in ACC play. Last weekend the Terps picked up both their conference victories over North Carolina and NC State, by scores of 3-1 in each match. Maryland opened its ACC slate 0-3, falling at home to BC in five and on the road to Duke (3-1) and Wake Forest (3-0).
The Terps lead the ACC in blocking, averaging 3.47 blocks per game and have totaled 194.5 this season. Individually, Jade Brown leads the league with 1.63 blocks per game (85 total) while Mary Beth Brown ranks sixth with 1.34 bpg (75 total). In addition, sophomore Katie Usher is seventh with a .353 hitting percentage and senior Beth Gillming ranks 10th with 3.82 digs per game.
LAST TIME OUT
Virginia split its matches last weekend, rallying from two games down to come back and beat Georgia Tech 3-2 before falling at Clemson, 3-0. Currently, the Tigers are one of two conference teams (along with Duke) that have yet to lose a conference match.
Against the Yellow Jackets, UVa was quickly down 2-0 after losing 30-16 and 30-22, but rallied to win the next three, 30-25, 32-30 and 15-12. Four Virginia players finished with double figure kills, led by Sarah Kirkwood’s match-high 17. Shannon Davis and Kendal Voelker each tallied 13 and Katie Oakes finished with 11. Five Cavaliers also notched double figure digs, led by Melissa Caldwell’s 18 digs. Kelly Irvin (16), Kirkwood (15), Tara Hester (14) and A.J. Cushman (12) also contributed to the defensive effort. Oakes also tied a match-high with nine blocks.
Saturday, Virginia was swept by Clemson in three games. Kirkwood led the squad with a match-high 17 kills for the second consecutive night. Caldwell once again paced the defensive effort with a match-best 21digs.
SHELTON NEARING 100 ACC WINS
Virginia head coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton is nearing 100 career victories in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Now in her 13th season at Uva, Shelton currently has 97 league wins after beating Georgia Tech last Friday. She needs just three more for her 100th victory.
CALDWELL CLOSING IN
Fourth year Melissa Caldwell has a shot at breaking the program record for career digs, needing 217 more to claim the top spot. The Houston native is now in sole possession of second place and compiled 39 digs in the squad’s two matches last weekend.
RECORD BREAKER
Fourth year and team tri-captain Sarah Kirkwood has set three program records this season. She set the career record for service aces in UVa’s season-opener against Texas Tech (Aug. 24), blasting seven aces in that match to surpass her sister Emily (167 career aces) as the program’s all-time leader. She currently has 191 career aces.
In Virginia’s match against Oklahoma (Sept. 7), Kirkwood set the school record for career kills. Needing just eight kills to take over the top spot on the list, Kirkwood posted a match-high 15 kills against the Sooners to replace former Cavalier Deanna Zwarich as the career leader. Kirkwood has tallied 1,662 kills in her career.
Her third program record came in the ACC opener against Virginia Tech (Sept. 14), this time for attack attempts. Kirkwood needed 18 more attempts to break Paige Davis’ record of 4,018 career attack attempts. Davis was one of the program’s first All-Americans and is the older sister of Kirkwood’s teammate, Shannon Davis. Kirkwood now has 4,246 career attack attempts.
CALDWELL, OAKES ALSO AT THE TOP
Fourth years Melissa Caldwell and Katie Oakes join Kirkwood near the top of career lists. Caldwell, the squad’s returning libero, currently holds the top spot for digs per game. Oakes, meanwhile, is reclaimed first place in blocks per game and ranks among the top 10 in block assists and kills per game.
KIRKWOOD APPEARS IN PSA SPOT
The University of Virginia has created three new video spots that will air during televised football and basketball games this fall and winter. The spots show faculty members and students delivering the words of the University’s founder, Thomas Jefferson. Kirkwood is one of three student-athletes featured in the spots, along with Sean Singletary (men’s basketball) and Somdev Devverman (men’s tennis). Men’s basketball coach Dave Leitao also appears in the spots. They are available online at www.virginia.edu/president/spch/07/tvspot.html.
PROMOTION HEADQUARTERS
Friday, Oct. 5 vs. Boston College
Darden Student Appreciation Day
Saturday, Oct. 6 vs. Maryland
Greek Attendance Challenge
Friday, Oct. 12 vs. NC State
Youth Volleyball Day
Sunday, Oct. 14 vs. North Carolina
Virginia Discovery Museum Day
UP NEXT
The Cavaliers will travel across the state to face rival Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. Tuesday before returning home to battle NC State (Friday, 7 p.m.) and North Carolina (Sunday, 1 p.m.) in Memorial Gymnasium.