Clemson Begins Second Half Of ACC Season Against Duke On Thursday At 7:00 PM In Durham

Oct. 26, 2005

CLEMSON, SC – The Tiger volleyball team (9-1, 4-7 ACC) will begin the second half of the conference season this weekend, as it will face Duke and Wake Forest on the road. Clemson claimed the previous matches over both schools at Jervey Gym. The Tigers will meet the Blue Devils on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7:00 PM at the Cameron Indoor Stadium and will then face the Demon Deacons in a 7:00 PM match on Friday, Oct. 28 in Winston-Salem, NC.

The Duke Blue Devils (13-6, 7-4 ACC) currently lead the ACC in three of six team statistical categories. Their 16.52 kills per game are a league-best as Carrie DeMange’s 4.65 mark ranks second in the individual standings. The Blue Devils are also atop the assists per game and digs per game rankings averaging 15.3 and 18.9, respectively. Blue Devil Ali Hausfeld leads the individual list with a 13.16 assist per game average. Duke has won eight matches on their home court this season, against no losses, and defeated Florida State and Miami in Durham last weekend.

Clemson defeated Duke, 3-1, on Sept. 23 and was led by Jeannette Abbott with 22 kills. Danielle Hepburn contributed seven total blocks to the Tigers’ 14 total team blocks in the match. Duke leads the overall series score, 27-17, and also holds a 14-5 advantage in contests played on its home court. Clemson won the last match played in Durham, which was during the 2004 season, by a score of 3-1.

Wake Forest has posted an 11-9 overall record and a 4-7 mark in conference action, but the Demon Deacons have defended their home court well, losing only once in eight contests. They have won three straight matches, all against ACC opponents, and are led by Christy Williams who has a team-high 81 blocks and a .292 hitting percentage. Her 196 kills rank second on the team compared to Lauren Peterson’s 216.

On Sept. 22, the Tigers won a five-game thriller over Wake Forest to increase their lead in the overall score to 18-9. Clemson has also bettered the Demon Deacons, 9-3, on their home court. They claimed the 2004 contest at Reynold’s Gym, 3-1. The Tigers posted 17 total team blocks in the first 2005 meeting as Hepburn set a Clemson freshman record with 12 that night.

Hepburn has totaled 85 total blocks on the season, averaging 1.23 per game to led the Tigers. Overall, Clemson has tallied 191.5 total team blocks, 48.5 more than the opposition. Abbott and Brittany Ross have combined for 600 kills and rank among the top 10 in the ACC for kills per game, while Anna Vallinch has recorded 326 defensive saves.

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Contact: Christine Long, longc@clemson.edu, (864)656-1920