Virginia Opens ACC Play at NC State, North Carolina

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Off to its best start since the 2015 season, the Virginia volleyball team (7-3) begins ACC action on the road this weekend. The Cavaliers will take on NC State (6-5) on Friday at 7 p.m. before heading to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to face the Tar Heels (11-0) on Sunday at 1 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION

• Both Friday and Sunday’s matches are set to stream on ACCNX.
• Live stats can be accessed on the Cavalier volleyball schedule page on com.
• Fans can also get updates by following Virginia Volleyball’s official Twitter account (@UVAVolleyball).

 CAVALIERS OPEN ACC PLAY

• Virginia is set to open ACC play on the road this weekend at NC State on Friday (Sept. 24) and North Carolina on Sunday (Sept. 26).
• Both matches are set to stream on ACCNX.
• Last season, the Cavaliers were winless (0-11) in ACC play.
• Virginia is 216-353 (.380) all-time against ACC opponents.
• UVA’s last ACC win was a road sweep over in-state rival Virginia Tech on Nov. 29, 2019.

 SERIES HISTORY

• Virginia leads the all-time series against NC State, 39-31 amid a six-match losing skid to the Wolfpack … The two teams met in Charlottesville last season and played against each other on back-to-back nights, due to the league’s COVID-19 scheduling format.
• North Carolina leads the all-time series, 15-51 … UVA is currently on a three-match losing skid against the Tar Heels with its last win of the series coming in Carmichael Arena on Oct. 14, 2018 … North Carolina (11-0), which is one of three unbeaten teams in the ACC so far this season, hosts the reigning ACC champions and fourth-ranked Pitt (10-0) on Friday at 6 p.m. on ACCNX.

 LAST TIME OUT

• Virginia went 3-0 in its final non-conference tournament of the season last weekend in Charlottesville … The Cavaliers swept all three of their opponents in Bellarmine (Sept. 17), Georgetown (Sept. 17) and Fairleigh Dickinson (Sept. 18).
• Cavaliers’ right side hitter Mary Shaffer was named the tournament MVP, while outside hitter Brooklyn Borum was tabbed an all-tournament selection.
• For the tournament, Shaffer averaged a team-best 3.89 kills per set, while hitting .476, and 1.00 blocks per set. Borum averaged 3.33 kills per set, while hitting .222, and 3.11 digs per set.
• Borum (14) and Shaffer (11) combined for 25 of the Cavaliers’ 48 kills in Saturday’s contest against the Knights, good for one more kill than FDU’s total as a team.

 ON THE FAST TRACK

• With an overall record of 7-3 through its first 10 matches, Virginia is off to its best start since the 2015 season, when the Cavaliers finished with an overall record of 18-13 and went 10-10 in ACC play.

 BLOCK PARTY

• As of Sept. 21, Virginia is second in the ACC in blocks per set (2.78) through its first 10 matches … The Cavaliers’ 2.78 blocks-per-set average is also good for 19th in the nation.
• Virginia led its opponents in blocks in eight of its first 10 matches of the season and achieved a 7-1 record when out-blocking its opponents.
• Middle blocker Alana Walker has led UVA’s defensive effort with a team-best 60 total blocks, good for 1.67 per set … Walker currently leads the ACC in blocks, is second in the ACC and sixth in the nation in blocks per set.
• Walker enters this weekend with 393 (69 BS, 324 BA) career blocks.

VIRGINIA IS UNDEFEATED WHEN…

• Virginia is 6-0 when leading its opponents in kills and hitting percentage.
• The Cavaliers are 7-0 when holding their opponents to a hitting percentage of .199 or below.
• UVA is 5-0 this season when winning the first set.