Tiger Volleyball Travels to Virginia, Virginia Tech

Oct. 20, 2011

Clemson vs. Virginia/Virginia Tech Match Notes

The Clemson volleyball team will travel to Virginia and Virginia Tech this weekend for a pair of ACC matches. The Tigers (13-7, 5-4 ACC) play at Virginia (8-11, 2-7 ACC) on Friday at 7:00 pm in Memorial Gym and on Sunday at Virginia Tech (11-9, 4-5 ACC) at 1:00 pm in Cassell Coliseum.

Clemson was ranked 58th in the initial NCAA Volleyball RPI, and road wins at No. 145 Virginia and No. 66 Virginia Tech could help boost that mark. The Tigers are also in fifth place in the conference, making this a key weekend to create separation and move up.

The Tigers and Cavaliers get underway at 7:00 pm on Friday in a match that is available at VirginiaSports.com with live video. The Tigers and Cavaliers split last season’s matches, but the Tigers hold a 38-14 all-time mark against the Cavs. Virginia is led offensively by Simone Asque, who is third in the ACC at 3.87 kills per set, while Jessica O’Shoney is third in hitting percentage at .372.

The Tigers swept the Hokies last season in a pair of tight matches. Clemson will play in Blacksburg on Sunday before returning home. The Tigers sit just one spot in the standings above the Hokies, who use a balanced offensive attack, with three players averaging more than two kills per set. The Hokies are an aggressive serving team, led by Justine Record, who ranks second in the ACC at 0.34 aces per set. Clemson holds an 11-6 all-time mark against Virginia Tech.

Clemson enters the match coming off a pair of losses to two nationally ranked teams, Miami and Florida State, on the road. Before that, the Tigers had won nine of 11 overall. Five Tigers currently average more than two kills per set, led by Sandra Adeleye, who at 3.19 is 6th in the conference. Serenat Yaz has back-to-back double-doubles and is averaging 2.84 kills and 2.48 digs per set.

Alexa Rand is second in the ACC and 15th nationally averaging 1.41 blocks per set, leading the Tigers, who at 2.62 blocks per set are third in the ACC and 26th in the nation.

Offensively, Clemson has come on strong lately, and is 23rd in the country with a .256 hitting percentage, led by Rand at .367 and Adeleye at .337. Mo Simmons is also having a career year, hitting .291, averaging 2.78 points per set, and 2.29 kills per set.

Clemson will play these two on the road before returning home to take on Duke on Oct. 28 in the annual Dig Pink match. The Tigers also take on Wake Forest at 5:00 pm Oct. 29, before heading on the road for four more matches.