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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team looks to rebound from a tough loss against Florida State, traveling to play Clemson and Georgia Tech this weekend. The Cavaliers (13-10, 5-6 ACC) play at Clemson (16-6, 8-3 ACC) on Friday and at Georgia Tech (15-5, 7-3 ACC) on Saturday. Both matches are set to begin at 7 p.m.
Third-year Lauren Dickson (Austin, Texas) leads the Cavaliers this season with 259 kills and 30 aces, while third-year Brittani Rendina (Lisle, Ill.) has collected 356 digs.
Sharing setting duties are fourth-year Marlow Bruneau (Lakeville, Minn.) and second-year Kelly Irvin (Pacific Palisades, Calif.). Bruneau has dished out 529 assists, while Irvin has 292.
Second-year Sydney Hill (Kalamazoo, Mich.) leads the squad with 98 blocks, while fourth-year Shannon Davis (Austin, Texas) is looking to become just the fifth player in program history to record both 1,000 kills and 400 blocks in a career. Davis currently has 1,044 kills and 398 blocks.
For Georgia Tech, Talisa Kellogg leads the team with 228 kills. Michelle Kandell’s clip of .500 paces the Yellow Jackets to a .261 team attack percentage, while Georgia Tech’s defense holds opponents to a .188 hitting percentage. Kandell’s 324 digs and Callie Miller’s team-high 85 blocks lead the defense.
Allie Niekamp has dished out 475 assists and Mary Ashley Tippins has distributed 371, while five Jackets have landed at least 15 service aces. Tech has 114 aces as a team, while its opponents have only found the floor 50 times.
The Tigers’ attack is led by Lia Proctor and Danielle Hepburn, who have each knocked down 292 kills. Hepburn is also hitting .378. Kelsey Murphy has handed out 827 helpers and 20 aces.
Didem Ege paces the defense with 335 digs, while Hepburn leads the team in blocks with 116.
In the all-time series with Clemson, the Tigers hold the definitive edge, as the Cavaliers are 14-33 against them. Virginia has played against Clemson 25 times on the Tigers’ home court, winning only four of those contests.
Dating back to 1983, Virginia has played Georgia Tech a total of 43 times, holding a 17-26 record. The Yellow Jackets have historically held an edge on their home court, winning 10 of the 18 contests.
Earlier this season, the Cavaliers fell to both Clemson and Georgia Tech in Memorial Gymnasium.
Virginia will return to Mem Gym next weekend to begin two-straight weekends at home, hosting North Carolina on Friday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m., before facing NC State on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. The Cavaliers split with the two teams earlier this season, escaping with a five-set victory in Chapel Hill, N.C., before falling at NC State, 3-1.