CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In its first season under the direction of head coach Shannon Wells, the Virginia volleyball team (8-19, 1-16 ACC) concludes its 2021 slate at Boston College (15-16, 5-12 ACC) on Friday. First serve from Power Gym is scheduled for 1 p.m. on ACC Network.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
- Mike Monaco (play-by-play) and Jenny Hazelwood (analyst) will have the call live on ACC Network.
- Live stats can be accessed on the Cavalier volleyball schedule page on VirginiaSports.com.
- Fans can also get updates by following Virginia Volleyball’s official Twitter account (@UVAVolleyball).
SERIES HISTORY
- The Cavaliers lead the all-time series over Boston College, 19-7.
- UVA won the inaugural matchup in four sets on Sept. 9, 1988.
- Virginia will look to even the season series as the Eagles won in four sets at Mem Gym three weeks ago (Friday, Nov. 5).
- The last time the Cavaliers won in Power Gym was Oct. 26, 2017 … UVA has lost its last two matchups in Chestnut Hill in straight sets.
LAST TIME OUT
- Virginia lost to NC State (Nov. 20) in straight sets at Mem Gym in its only contest of the week.
- The Cavaliers were led by Alana Walker, who posted seven kills, hit .294 and tallied a match-high five blocks.
- UVA lost the first two sets by a margin of 22-25 … The Hoos trailed by as many as 10 points in the opening set and clawed their way to cut the NC State lead to just two, 24-22.
BLOCK PARTY
- Virginia is currently 22nd in the nation and third in the ACC in blocks per set (2.61).
- UVA has led its opponents in blocks in 17 of its 27 matches played this season and has a record of 8-9 when out-blocking its opponents.
ALANA WALKER, ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST MIDDLE BLOCKERS
- Alana Walker is currently second in the nation and leads the ACC in blocks per set (1.48) … Walker is also seventh in the nation and first in the ACC in total blocks (141).
- Walker, the daughter of former NBA All-Star Antoine Walker, is 19th in career blocks among active Division I players with 474 total blocks.
- Walker has tied her career high of 11 blocks on two occasions this season, most recently in UVA’s five-set match against Clemson (Oct. 10) … However, Walker also notched 11 rejections in the Cavaliers’ four-set win at North Carolina (Sept. 26), which was also the first ACC win of the Shannon Wells era … Walker, a graduate transfer from Northwestern, set a career-high 11 blocks against Indiana (Nov. 23, 2018) while playing for the Wildcats.
- Walker is the only player on Virginia’s 2021 roster that was signed by Wells and her staff.
A BROOKLYN STATE OF MIND
- Brooklyn Borum, a true freshman for UVA, is the Cavaliers’ starting six-rotation outside hitter.
- After coming off the bench in the Cavaliers’ season opener, Borum has started in every match since and has played in all but two sets this season.
- Her six double-doubles leads the team on the season.
- She has been described as the, “best passer on the team,” by head coach Shannon Wells.
- Borum notched back-to-back 15-kill performances – her season high – to open ACC play at NC State (Sept. 24) and North Carolina (Sept. 26).
- She posted a season-high 24 digs in UVA’s five-set victory at VCU (Sept. 10), which is currently tied for the most digs by any Cavaliers in a single match this season.
(GR)ACE TURNER
- Grace Turner has led the Cavaliers in aces per set (0.28) for the vast majority of the season.
- Turner tallied a career-best five aces, the most by any UVA player in a single match this season, in the Cavaliers’ sweep over Hofstra (Aug. 28) and five-set win over Akron (Sept. 3).
- As of Nov. 18, Turner is the only player in the ACC this season to record at least two five-ace performances.
SETTING BY COMMITTEE
- For most of the season, Virginia has run a 6-2 rotation … All three of its setters in Ashley Le, Hannah Prendergast and Maddie Boylston have seen significant time on the floor.
- Le leads the team in assists per set (5.25).
- A 6-2 rotation allows UVA to have three hitters in the front row at all times.