North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Volleyball Opens ACC Play at UNC on ESPNU
9/24/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 24, 2013
Match #13 - NC State (9-3, 0-0 ACC) vs. No. 14 North Carolina (11-0, 0-0 ACC)
When - Wednesday, Sept. 25
Where - Chapel Hill, N.C. (Carmichael Arena)
Time - 8 p.m.
TV - ESPNU
Play-By-Play - Sam Gore
Anlayst - Maria Taylor
RALEIGH, N.C. - The NC State women's volleyball team will open conference play on Wednesday, Sept. 25, when it travels to Chapel Hill, N.C., to play the 14th-ranked UNC Tar Heels. First serve is slated for 8 p.m. inside Carmichael Arena and the match will be broadcast on ESPNU.
The Wolfpack enters the contest with a 9-3 record on the season, after completing the non-conference portion of its schedule last weekend at the Courtyard Midtown Invitational. In its last outing, State defeated VCU, 3-1, in Reynolds Colseum.
Senior Brie Merriwether and sophomore Tanna Aljoe were named to the all-tournament team for their efforts at the tournament. Merriwether led the Pack in kills in the match against VCU with 15 and recorded an attacking percentage of .414 in that contest. Aljoe set a career-high versus Colgate with 59 assists and also tallied 13 digs in the match.
Wednesday's matchup will be the conference opener for both teams, as the Wolfpack was preseason picked to finish fifth in the league, while the Tar Heels were picked second.
Last season, the Wolfpack opened ACC play against the Heels and did so in grand style, cruising to a 3-1 win at home in Reynolds Coliseum. Merriwether notched 18 kills and registered a .441 attacking percentage to lift the Pack to victory.
Wednesday's contest is a milestone for the Wolfpack, as it will be the program's first appearance on national television.
PLAYER QUOTES
Senior Brie Merriwether
Talk about conference play starting on Wednesday.
“Preseason is mostly preparing and working out the kinks, so that when ACC play begins we’re ready. The start of conference play really hones in the season starting and it’s time to get down to business.”
Talk about the tournament last weekend.
“Overall, this weekend was not the best for me, but it was definitely a learning experience. You can’t let a bad weekend affect your confidence. As a team and individually, I’m always confident that we can perform well.”
How does it feel to play on national television?
“It’s always fun to be on tv because you can tell all of your friends back home and your mom gets to watch the game so that’s always nice.”
Sophomore Tanna Aljoe
How excited are you to open ACC play on Wednesday?
“I’m very excited and one key thing that Coach Bunn has been telling us is to just stay calm and relaxed. I think all of us are pumped to play them on their home court though.”
Talk about the tournament last weekend.
“It was a lot of fun. We had a few rough patches, but I think all of our opponents have prepared us well for the match on Wednesday.”
Talk about playing on national television.
“It’s really exciting. When you’re younger you always watch it on tv and you work towards that, so now that we’re actually going to be on tv it’s great.”
SCOUTING UNC
The North Carolina Tar Heels have compiled an 11-0 record to this point in the season, after winning a pair of matches over the weekend against Indiana and Illinois. Jovana Bjelica, graduate student, leads the offensive attack with 110 kills on the season. Jordan Schnabl and Abigail Curry have split time at the setter position and junior libero Ece Taner paces the squad in digs with 159.
The Tar Heels are 5-0 at home this season.
