CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Virginia reaches the halfway point of ACC volleyball action this weekend with a pair of road matches at Syracuse on Friday and Boston College on Sunday. First serve on Friday is set for 6 p.m. while Sunday’s match is scheduled for 1 p.m.
The Cavaliers (6-11, 2-6 ACC) split a pair of matches against rival Virginia Tech last week, topping the Hokies 3-1 in Memorial Gymnasium on Wednesday before getting swept down in Blacksburg on Friday.
In Wednesday’s Smithfield Commonwealth Clash victory, Virginia had three players with double digit kills. Rightside Becca Wight led the Hoos with 11 while first-year outside MaryGrace Gonyeau and rightside Lauryn Bowie each added ten.
Syracuse (5-12, 0-8 ACC) is coming off a four-game road swing at NC State, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Clemson. The Orange took a set in a 3-1 loss to the Wolfpack before getting swept in the next three. For the Orange, outside hitter Kiernan Stamey leads the way with 3.68 kills per set, which ranks tenth in the ACC.
Boston College (10-9, 1-7 ACC) also went 0-4 on the same road swing as the Orange, though the Eagles took two sets from Wake Forest and a set each from NC State and Clemson. The Eagle offense runs through outside hitter Audrey Ross, who ranks 13th nationally with 4.43 kills per set. Defensively, Boston College ranks 28th nationally with 2.64 blocks per set, led by middle Naomi Watson with 1.20 blocks per set.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Both Friday’s and Sunday’s matches will be streamed on ACC Network Extra. Links to both the broadcast and live stats are available at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official X account (@UVAVolleyball).
NOTING THE HOOS
- Fourth-year middle Emily Fowler ranks 43rd nationally with 1.31 blocks per set. Last season at Coastal Carolina, the Second Team All-Sun Belt selection totaled 1.04 blocks per set.
- Fourth-year libero Katie Barrier is nearing the 500-dig mark in her Virginia career. She enters the weekend with 464 digs in the navy & orange.
- Both of Virginia’s right sides in fourth-year Lauryn Bowie and third-year Becca Wight are putting up the most efficient seasons of their careers, both posting career highs in hitting percentage. Bowie’s hitting percentage sits at .225 while Wight is hitting .253.
SERIES HISTORY
- Virginia trails the all-time series with Syracuse, 6-11, though the Hoos won the most recent meeting in Charlottesville last season
- Virginia leads the all-time series with Boston College 21-12. Last season, the Cavaliers split a pair of matches with the Eagles, falling on the road before a five-set victory at home in the regular season finale.
ON THE HORIZON
The Cavaliers return home next weekend, hosting Miami at John Paul Jones Arena next Friday before a match with Florida State in Memorial Gymnasium next Sunday.