Hokies host Cavaliers in ACC Opener

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team opens Atlantic Coast Conference play Tuesday with a contest at Virginia Tech. Opening serve is slated for 7 p.m. in Blacksburg, Va.

Livestats for the match will be available at www.VirginiaSports.com.

The Cavaliers (8-4), coming off a 1-2 weekend at Northwestern’s Wildcat Classic, return to Cassell Coliseum after dropping a five-set match to the Hokies late last season. Two sets in the match required extra points, with Tech surviving a 15-12 fifth-frame for the win.

This season, third-year Lauren Dickson (Austin, Texas) leads the Cavaliers with 140 kills, while third-year Brittani Rendina (Lisle, Ill.) has collected 130 digs and landed 16 aces.

Second-year Sydney Hill (Kalamazoo, Mich.) paces the front row defense with 52 blocks and fourth-year Shannon Davis (Austin, Texas) is hitting a team-high .316.

Sharing setting duties are fourth-year Marlow Bruneau (Lakeville, Minn.) and second-year Kelly Irvin (Pacific Palisades, Calif.). Bruneau has dished out 311 assists, while Irvin has 81.

For Virginia Tech (9-2), the Hokies have posted the program’s best start in 13 years and are coming off their third regular season tournament title, winning UNC Asheville’s Seahawk Classic.

2007 ACC Freshman of the Year Felicia Willoughby paces Virginia Tech’s attack with 104 kills and is second on the team with 38 blocks. Betsy Horowitz leads the team with 39 swats.

Erin Leaser has dished out 322 assists, while Michelle Lang has distributed 101. Jill Gergen has collected 130 digs.

Virginia leads the all-time series 28-22, winning 13 of the last 16 meetings. Virginia Tech holds the first seven victories in a series that dates back to 1979, and won 11 of the first 12 meetings.

In conference action, the Cavaliers have come out on top in five of the seven match-ups, sweeping only the 2005 series. The two squads have split the last two season series’ and only met once in 2004.

Last season, each school won it’s respective home match. Virginia swept the Hokies in September before dropping a five-set match in Blacksburg in October.

In Blacksburg, the Cavaliers are 16-6 against Virginia Tech, while the Hokies are on a two-match win streak at home over their in-state rival.

Up next for Virginia are home matches with Georgia Tech and Clemson. The Cavaliers will host Georgia Tech on Friday, before facing 2007 ACC Champion Clemson on Saturday. Both contests will be played in Memorial Gymnasium and are scheduled for 7 p.m.