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Virginia Set to Play Host to NC State, North Carolina
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team (10-7, 5-3 ACC) continues league play this weekend, welcoming NC State to Memorial Gymnasium for a 7 p.m. match Friday and North Carolina for a 1 p.m. contest Sunday.
SERIES INFORMATION
Against NC State: Virginia leads 29-19
Last Meeting: Oct. 28, 2006 in Raleigh
Result: Virginia, 3-0 (30-26, 30-27, 30-17)
Also in 2006: Virginia defeated the Wolfpack 3-1 at home back on Sept. 23
Against North Carolina: North Carolina leads 31-12
Last Meeting: Oct. 27, 2006 in Chapel Hill
Result: Virginia, 3-2 (30-28, 30-25, 28-30, 21-30, 15-13)
Also in 2006: The Cavaliers also on the first meeting on Sept, 22, 3-1, to sweep the series
SHELTON ONE AWAY FROM 100 ACC WINS
Virginia head coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton one win away from her 100th career victory in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Now in her 13th season at UVa, Shelton currently has 99 league wins after beating Maryland last Saturday.
KIRKWOOD FIRST TO 200
Fourth year Sarah Kirkwood recorded three service aces in UVa’s 3-2 loss at Virginia Tech Tuesday, giving her 200 for her career. Kirkwood, who passed her sister Emily on the career list in the first match of the season, is the first person in school history to reach 200 career service aces.
KIRKWOOD TABBED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Virginia’s Sarah Kirkwood was tabbed the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the week, the conference office announced Tuesday (Oct. 9). The Tampa, Fla., native recorded a hitting percetage of .533 in UVa’s wins against Boston College and Maryland. In two games, Kirkwood registered 46 kills on 76 attack attempts for a hitting percentage of .539. Friday against BC, the Tampa, Fla., native tallied a match-high 21 kills with just three errors to go along with two assists, five service aces and 12 digs, as Virginia won the match 3-1.
In a 3-0 sweep of Maryland Saturday, Kirkwood once again tallied a match-high 25 kills with only two errors for a .575 hitting percentage. She also added seven digs against the Terps.
After the weekend, Kirkwood ranks second among ACC players in kills per game (4.82), fifth in service aces (0.53) and first in points (5.53).
A GLANCE AT NC STATE
North Carolina State is winless in conference play so far this season at 0-7 and has a 3-14 record overall. Last weekend NC State was beaten by Duke (3-1) and Wake Forest (3-0).
Setter Alex Smith is ranked ninth among ACC players with 8.30 assists per game.
A GLANCE AT NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina stands at 7-9 overall and 3-4 in ACC play heading into competition this weekend. Last week the Tar Heels defeated Wake Forest 3-0 before falling to Duke in five games, 3-2.
Brianna Eskola leads the conference in digs, averaging 5.66 digs per game. Heather Brooks, meanwhile, is third among ACC players with 1.51 blocks per game and setter Stephanie Jansma ranks fourth with 10.88 assists per game. Christin Vaughen’s .322 hitting percentage also is good enough for eight on the league leaders list.
LAST TIME OUT
The Cavaliers fell in five games to Virginia Tech on Tuesday night, 3-2. Virginia was without starting libero Melissa Caldwell and saw limited action from outside hitter Lauren Dickson. The Cavaliers dropped the fifth game 15-12.
Sarah Kirkwood led UVa with a match-high 18 kills. Teammates Tara Hester and Kendahl Voelker added 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Third year Shannon Davis also had a solid night with a match-high seven blocks and seven kills and Kelly Irvin recorded 44 assists. The Cavaliers had five players in double figure digs, led by a season-high 30 from Kirkwood. Beth Shelton added 22 digs and Hester finished with 21. Rookies Irvin and A.J. Cushman each chipped in 10 apiece.
WIN GAME ONE
Virginia is 7-0 this season after winning game one. In contrast, the squad is 3-7 when dropping the first game of the match to its opponent.
HOOS AMONG ACC LEADERS
Several Cavaliers rank among the top 10 in the latest statistical reports from the ACC, released Tuesday (Oct. 9). Sarah Kirkwood is second in the league in kills, averaging 4.82 per game. That mark trails Duke’s Carrie DeMange, who puts up 4.96 kpg. Kirkwood also ranks fifth in service aces. Teammate Katie Oakes stands fourth in blocks, averaging 1.42 bpg and Melissa Caldwell is seventh among the ACC leaders with 4.08 dpg.
CALDWELL SECOND IN CAREER DIGS
Fourth year Melissa Caldwell has a shot at breaking the program record for career digs, needing 207 more to claim the top spot. The Houston native is now in sole possession of second place. She played in four games of the team’s seven games last weekend and finished with 10 digs. Caldwell missed the Virginia Tech trip Tuesday because of illness.
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 200 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 1,726 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 4,394 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 first 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. 12 vs. NC State
Greek Challenge
Youth Volleyball Day
Friday, Nov. 2 vs. Clemson
Pack Mem Gym to set attendance record
Kids Club Passport Night
Charlottesville and Albemarle School
System Night (free Virginia drawstring bag)
Wednesday, Nov. 21 vs. Duke
One fan will win a HD LCD television from Crutchfield. Enter to win at the game!
UP NEXT
Virginia will play the next four matches on the road, beginning next Friday at Wake Forest. The Cavaliers will take on Duke Saturday, with both matches set to begin at 7 p.m.