North Carolina State University Athletics
Volleyball Travels to Georgia Tech, Clemson
10/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
RALEIGH, N.C. The NC State volleyball team will get back on the road this weekend, traveling to Georgia Tech and Clemson. The Pack will take on the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta, Ga., tomorrow Friday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m., before squaring off with the Tigers in Clemson, S.C., on Saturday, Oct. 27. at 6 p.m.
The contest against Georgia Tech will be broadcast live online via ACC Select. Click here for more information.
State carries at 3-18 (0-11 ACC) record at the midway point of conference play. Alex Smith stands ninth in the league and tops on the Wolfpack roster with 8.21 assists per game. Lauren Zaniboni (244 kills) and Chrissy Zirpolo (156) create a solid one-two punch for the Pack’s offense, while Nikki Sweet (226 digs) and Ashley Wallace (64 blocks) shore up the defense. Zirpolo also posts 17 service aces on the season, with Sweet’s 16 service aces right behind her. State has taken at least one game in six of its 11 league bouts.
Georgia Tech posts a 13-8 (7-4 ACC) slate. The Yellow Jackets hold several top-five rankings in the league’s statistical categories, placing third in kills per game (15.50) and assists per game (14.44), fourth in hitting percentage (.220) and fifth in service aces (138). Michelle Kandell ranks sixth in the ACC in digs with 384, while Lindsey Gray is ninth in service aces with 0.36 per game. Mary Ashley Tippins (9.15) and Talisa Kellogg (.376) both stand eighth respectively in assists per game and kills per game.
Clemson will take on North Carolina on Friday night before the Pack rolls into town. The Tigers remain undefeated in league play with an 18-2 (11-0 ACC) record, having not lost since falling to Purdue (3-2) back on Sept. 8. Clemson leads the league in hitting percentage (.275), and stands second in assists per game (14.93), kills per game (16.49) and digs per game (18.52). Meghan Steiner (.414) and Danielle Hepburn (.382) rank first and third respectively in the conference for hitting percentage, while Jeannette Abbot stands seventh in kills per game with 3.78. Kelsey Murphy ranks second in the ACC in assists per game with 12.09, while Hepburn (1.38) is third in blocks per game and Didem Ege (5.46) is third in digs per game.
Following this weekend’s action, the Pack will return to the courts against rival North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, Oct. 30. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
The North Carolina match will be broadcast live online via ACC Select. Click here for more information.
