North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Volleyball Ready For Ole Miss Tournament
9/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 8, 2005
The NC State volleyball team departs today for University, Miss., where the Wolfpack will compete in the Magnolia Invitational Friday and Saturday. NC State, 3-1 on the season, will take on Lipscomb, 0-4, at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning in the tournament opener before facing Lamar, 1-6, at 5:00 p.m. On Saturday, the Wolfpack will dual with No. 17 Texas, 1-1 at noon and finish up with tournament host, Ole Miss, 3-1, at 7:30 p.m.
NC State is coming off a second place showing in the Wolfpack Classic last weekend, a season-opening home tournament played at Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack dispatched The Citadel, Campbell and South Carolina State in three games each, but lost 3-1 to tournament champs, Fordham. Senior co-captain middle blockers Adeola Kosoko and Stefani Eddins were selected to the all-tournament team and Eddins was picked the tournament MVP. Eddins led NC State with 54 kills and 22 blocks through four matches and Kosoko added 43 kills, 15 digs and 15 blocks for the weekend.
Junior setter Melissa Rabe averaged 11.46 assists per game as the Pack's starting setter this past weekend. She also led the squad with nine service aces, including five against Campbell.
Defensive specialists Andrea Bentley and Kelley Blakewood led the team with 31 and 29 digs respectively through the first four matches, as Blakewood played mostly at libero and Bentley started as a defensive specialist.
NC State ranks second in the ACC this week in three categories: Attack percentage (.274), blocks (3.08 per game) and service aces (2.54 per game). Stefani Eddins ranks second in the ACC for attack percentage, fourth in kills and fifth in blocks, while Adeola Kosoko ranks third in attack percentage and Melissa Rabe ranks fourth in assists and fifth in aces. Eddins ranks 16th in the nation for attack percentage and 19th in kills per game.
Several NC State players made their collegiate debuts last weekend at the Wolfpack Classic. Karlie Urbaniak got the starting nod at outside hitter and tallied 17 kills and 28 digs through four matches. Aiwane Iboaya saw significant playing time at outside, contributing 16 kills over the weekend and fellow freshman Kelley Blakewood wore the libero jersey for the Pack. Redshirt freshman Stephanie Sims helped out at right side against South Carolina State and junior transfer setter Lyssa Ramirez came off the bench in two games.
The New Orleans Invitational that NC State was scheduled to play in Sept. 16-17 has been canceled due to Hurricane Katrina. The Wolfpack is looking into the possibility of hosting other teams looking for makeup matches that weekend in a home tournament. Stay tuned to GoPack.com for updates.
