North Carolina State University Athletics
Wolfpack Starts Atlantic Coast Conference Play This Weekend
9/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 22, 2004
After a 3-0 sweep of non-conference foe North Carolina A&T Tuesday night, the NC State volleyball team prepares for the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend. The Wolfpack will travel to Clemson on Friday and then to Georgia Tech on Saturday. Both matches are set to begin at 7:00 p.m.
With Tuesday's win, NC State has brought its win total to 10, as it sports a 10-3 record heading into conference play. As a team, the Wolfpack has already totaled 148 blocks, well enough for an average of 3.15 blocks per game, which is first in the ACC and 18th nationally. Leading NC State's block are junior middle blockers Stefani Eddins and Adeola Kosoko. Eddins leads the conference with an average of 1.55 blocks per game, while Kosoko is tenth with an average of 1.26. Together, they have combined for 132 of the Pack's total blocks.
Offensively, NC State ranks fifth in the ACC in hitting percentage with a team average of .253. Kosoko and Eddins are again ranked in the conference according to hitting percentage, as Kosoko is fifth with a .390 average and Eddins closely behind at .340, which is seventh in the ACC. Overall, Kosoko leads the team with 181 kills, while Eddins has 102 already to her account. Joining them are senior outside hitter Melanie Rowe and freshman outside hitter Emily Bertrand, who also have some impressive numbers in kills with 148 and 124 respectively. Setters Lauren Markowski and Melissa Rabe have combined for 564 assists.
Meanwhile, Clemson (7-4) has lost two straight to Georgia and to No. 4 Florida. Three players: senior outside hitter Leslie Finn, freshman outside hitter Brittany Ross and senior middle hitter Lori Ashton have recorded over 100 kills for the Tigers thus far. Finn leads the team with 192 kills, while Ross has 146 and Ashton 133 off a team-best .318 hitting percentage. Setters Courtney Lawrence and Stephanie Haskell have split time this season, combining for 489 assists. Defensively, Ashton is also the team's leader in total blocks with 41, while sophomore libero Anna Vallinch has picked up 170 digs.
Despite the Yellow Jackets 5-5 overall record, three of those losses coming against ranked opponents, head coach Bond Shymansky returns two All-Americans in senior outside hitters Lynnette Moster and Lauren Sauer. Moster is the team's leader in kills with 156, while Sauer has added 120 of her own for second place. On the other side of the ball, Jayme Gergen and Marisa Aston lead Tech's defense. Gergen has 52 total blocks thus far, while Aston leads the Yellow Jackets with 140 digs.
