Virginia Hosts No. 10 Pitt on Wednesday to Conclude Eight-Match Homestand

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia volleyball team (8-5, 0-2 ACC) will face its second ranked opponent of the season when it welcomes No. 10 Pittsburgh (11-2, 2-0 ACC) on Wednesday (Sept. 28) to round out its eight-match homestand. First serve from Memorial Gymnasium is set for 8 p.m.

Admission to all 2022 Virginia volleyball regular-season matches is free to the public (no ticket required).

BROADCAST INFORMATION

• Wednesday’s match will be broadcast on ACC Network and stream on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) through the ESPN app, which is available through participating TV providers that carry ACC Network.
• Sam Gore (play-by-play) and Missy Whittemore (analyst) will have the call.
• Live stats will also be available for both matches and can be accessed via the Cavaliers’ schedule page on VirginiaSports.com.

PARKING INFORMATION

• Fans planning to attend Virginia volleyball matches this season are encouraged to park in the Culbreth, Central Grounds or Emmet/Ivy parking garages utilizing the ParkMobile app.
• For more information regarding hourly parking locations and payments, visit virginia.edu/parkmobile.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Panthers lead the all-time series, 16-3, and are winners of the last nine meetings.
• Virginia is seeking its first win over Pitt since its 3-1 victory on Oct. 2, 2015 in Mem Gym.
• In Virginia’s most recent win over the Panthers in 2015, outside hitter Kayla Sears set the program’s single-match record of nine service aces. The Cavaliers finished with 15 total aces, which tied the program’s team single-match record.

LAST TIME OUT

• Last weekend, Virginia went 0-2 in back-to-back five-set losses to NC State (Sept. 23) and North Carolina (Sept. 25).
• The Cavaliers split the first two sets against NC State and won game No. 4 to force a decisive fifth set, which the Wolfpack won handily, 15-8.
• Against the Tar Heels, Virginia claimed the first two sets before UNC came back to complete the reverse sweep, which was capped by its 16-14 victory in the fifth. The Cavaliers had match point, 14-13, in set No. 5, but UNC scored three straight to earn its first ACC win of the season.
• UVA outside hitter Grace Turner posted back-to-back 20-kill matches, including tying her career high of 23 kills and served up a career-best six aces against UNC. For the weekend, Turner averaged 4.30 kills per set. Her six aces are the most by a Cavalier in a single match since 2018.

AMAZING GRACE (TURNER)

• Grace Turner has been a workhorse for the Cavaliers this season, having started in all 13 matches and appeared in all 55 possible sets as a six-rotation outside hitter.
• She leads the Cavaliers in kills per set (3.44), aces per set (0.45), points per set (4.08) and total receptions (383). Her 3.44 kills-per-set and 4.08 points-per-set averages are currently good for seventh in the ACC, while her 0.45 aces per set stands at No. 5 in the league.
• Turner has posted four 20-kill matches on the season and has done so on back-to-back occasions twice, against Charlotte (Sept. 9 & 10) and against NC State (Sept. 23) and North Carolina (Sept. 25). Earlier this season, she became the first UVA player to notch back-to-back 20-kill performances since 2016.
• Turner also leads the Cavaliers with eight career double-doubles, including three this season.
• Last year, Turner finished with 27 total aces, the most for her in a single season during her playing career at UVA. Through the first 13 of the Cavaliers’ 29 scheduled matches, Turner currently sits at 25 aces this season

 VIRGINIA VS. RANKED OPPONENTS

• With the Panthers’ No. 10 ranking, UVA is seeking its third win over a ranked opponent in program history. Wednesday’s contest marks the fourth instance in which Virginia has faced a ranked Pitt team and third time that the Panthers have been in the AVCA top 10 while squaring off against UVA.
• The Cavaliers’ most recent win over a ranked opponent was on Oct. 31, 2010 (4,350 days ago), when UVA defeated #25 Florida State in five sets in Mem Gym.
• Virginia’s highest ranked victory was the program’s first, a four-set win over #22 Georgia Tech on Oct. 5, 1996.
• UVA is 2-69 all-time against ranked opponents. A complete list of results vs. ranked opponents can be found on page 26 of the Virginia Volleyball record book.
• The AVCA weekly poll began in 1982.

ABBY TADDER AMONG THE ACC’S STATISTICAL LEADERS

• Virginia middle blocker Abby Tadder is currently ninth in the ACC in hitting percentage (.335).
• In addition to her efficient hitting percentage, Tadder leads the Cavaliers in blocks (56.0) and blocks per set (1.02).
• In the first two weekends of play this season, Tadder nabbed all-tournament honors.
• Like Turner, Tadder has started in all 13 matches this season and appeared in all possible 55 sets.

THE ACC: THE NATION’S PREMIER VOLLEYBALL CONFERENCE

• Last season, the Atlantic Coast Conference led all conferences in the nation in both RPI and adjusted RPI.
• For the first time in league history, two ACC teams (Louisville and Pitt) advanced to the NCAA Volleyball Tournament semifinals in 2021.
• In addition to the Cardinals and Panthers, Georgia Tech was also one of three ACC teams to advance to the Elite 8, also a first in ACC history.
• A record-tying six ACC schools made the 2021 NCAA Volleyball Tournament, including No. 1 overall seed Louisville, which won 32 consecutive matches last season.

SEASON OVERVIEW

• This year marks the 44th season of Virginia Volleyball, which held its inaugural season in 1979.
• The Hoos are slated to face four AVCA preseason top-25 teams, including three teams ranked in the top 10, in No. 4 Louisville (Oct. 21), No. 6 Pitt (Sept. 28), at No. 9 Georgia Tech (Oct. 7) and at No. 15 Florida (Aug. 27).
• Virginia’s 2022 schedule consists of seven 2021 NCAA Tournament teams in Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina and Pittsburgh.
• With a home-and-home series against Virginia Tech, both matches between UVA and the Hokies will be worth 0.5 points toward the Commonwealth Clash standings, presented by Smithfield.
• The Cavaliers will host 14 home matches in 2022.
• For the first time in history, Virginia faced Purdue Fort Wayne (Sept. 3) and is set to play Mercer (Sept. 16).