Clemson Volleyball To Open ACC Season This Weekend At NC State, North Carolina

Sept. 19, 2007

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CLEMSON, SC – Danielle Hepburn and her Tiger volleyball teammates (7-2) will begin ACC play this weekend as Clemson travels to NC State (3-8, 0-1 ACC) and North Carolina (5-5, 1-0 ACC). The Tigers will face the Wolfpack at 7:00 on Friday night at the Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, NC and will then take on the Tar Heels at the Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, NC in a 6:00 pm match-up.

Fans may follow the action on the Internet via livestats by accessing www.clemsontigers.com for Saturday’s match and the NC State athletic homepage for Friday’s contest.

Hepburn leads the Clemson offense and ranks first in the ACC with a .432 hitting percentage. The junior middle hitter has totaled a team-best 127 kills while also posting 42 total blocks. Libero Didem Ege is also atop the conference standings with a 5.66 digs per game average. The sophomore from Istanbul, Turkey has recorded 181 defensive saves so far this season.

The Tigers’ setter Kelsey Murphy is averaging 11.44 assists per game, which ranks third in the ACC, and is a big reason why Clemson leads the league and ranks 14th in the nation with a .285 hitting percentage.

Scouting the Wolfpack NC State brings a 3-8 overall record into Friday’s match, most recently falling to North Carolina on Sept. 14 in its ACC opener. Lauren Zaniboni leads the Wolfpack with 137 kills and has also recorded 20 total blocks. Setter Alex Smith has tallied 323 assists while Nikki Sweet owns a team-best 102 defensive saves. Overall, NC State has totaled 511 kills for a 12.46 kills per game average with a 1.76 blocks per game figure.

Clemson vs. NC State, The Series Clemson leads the all-time score against NC State by a 30-17 margin and has won the last 18 match-ups. The Tigers defeated the Wolfpack twice last season, sweeping NC State in both contests. The Wolfpack’s last victory came during the 1995 season when it claimed a 3-1 decision on the Tigers’ home court. Clemson owns a 14-9 record when facing NC State in Raleigh, NC.

Scouting the Tar Heels North Carolina enters this weekend’s action with a 5-5 overall record and a 1-0 mark in conference play. The Tar Heels will face Georgia Tech on Friday night before the Tigers come to down on Saturday. Sue Haydel and Lauren Prussing have combined for 203 kills, while setter Stephanie Jansma has tallied 440 assists, to lead the North Carolina offense. The Tar Heel defense is holding its opposition to a meager .185 hitting percentage due largely to its 3.07 blocks per game average. Eight different players have posted double figures in blocks with Heather Brooks leading the way with 54.

Clemson vs. North Carolina, The Series The Tar Heels own a 47-13 all-time advantage in the series history, which dates back to 1979. The teams split last year’s contests with each one winning on its home court. The Tigers swept North Carolina at Jervey Gym, while the Tar Heels pulled out the five-game victory at the Carmichael Auditorium later in the season. North Carolina has won 17 of 21 matches played on its home court against Clemson. The Tigers last defeated the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill when they won a 3-2 decision during the 1999 season. Clemson was ranked #14 at the time while North Carlina was listed 25th in the poll.