Clemson Volleyball Heads to North Carolina for a Pair

Nov. 10, 2011

CLEMSON, SC – The Clemson volleyball team will travel to North Carolina to take on the NC State Wolfpack and the North Carolina Tar Heels this weekend in what could be crucial matches for an NCAA Tournament resume. The Tigers (18-8, 10-5 ACC, RPI: 56), winners of four in a row, will play in Raleigh on Friday at 7:30 pm against the Pack (17-11, 5-10 ACC, RPI: 118) and Saturday at 6:00 pm in Chapel Hill against the Tar Heels (19-7, 11-4 ACC, RPI: 30). Fans can follow live stats at ClemsonTigers.com, and video for the NC State match is available for free at GoPack.com. Clemson enters the weekend alone in fifth place in the conference, just a game back of the Tar Heels, who were swept this past weekend by Miami and Florida State. The Tigers played each of these teams to five sets earlier in the season in Clemson, with the Tar Heels defeating the Tigers on Friday, and Clemson bouncing back for the win Saturday against NC State. The Tigers playing their final two matches in a stretch of eight of ten matches on the road, in which they have gone 3-3 to this point. The match with North Carolina features two of the ACC’s winningest coaches all-time at their respective schools in Joe Sagula (1st, 440) and Jolene Jordan Hoover (2nd, 396). They also rank one and two all-time in ACC wins. The Tigers come in hitting .261 as a team, which is good for third in the ACC and 22nd in the nation. They also average 2.71 blocks per set, which is second in the conference and 21st in the country. Sandra Adeleye (3.36 kills/set; .355 hitting %) and Serenat Yaz (3.02 kills/set) lead the Tigers offensively. Mo Simmons (2.31 kills/set) has also been a solid option, as well as Alexa Rand (2.15 kills/set; .352 hitting %), who ranks sixth in the league in hitting percentage. Rand is also a key cog in Clemson’s defense, averaging 1.49 blocks per set, which is good for second in the ACC and eighth nationally. Adeleye also averages nearly a block per set, and the two have combined for 546 kills, 245 blocks, and 7.00 points per set this season. Setter Hannah Brenner has been distributing the ball effectively lately as well, leading Clemson to above-.300 hitting four times in the last six matches. Clemson returns home to take on first-place Florida State on ESPN3 on Nov. 18, an then will hold senior day on Nov. 19 against Miami. The Tigers close the season at Georgia Tech on Nov. 23.