NC State Volleyball Clashes with Duke Wednesday on ESPN3

Wednesday, November 25

Durham, N.C. (Cameron Indoor Stadium)

1:00 PM

NC State

Duke

Photo by: Greg Mintel

NC State Volleyball Clashes with Duke Wednesday on ESPN3

11/24/2015 11:12:00 AM | Women's Volleyball

Wolfpack takes on Blue Devils in Cameron Indoor Stadium

RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State volleyball team makes the short commute to Durham, N.C., Wednesday for an early afternoon tilt against the Duke Blue Devils. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. inside Cameron Indoor Stadium and the contest will be broadcast live on ESPN3/Watch ESPN.

The Wolfpack enters the match with a 15-15 overall record and 4-14 clip in ACC play, while the Blue Devils are 15-13 and 10-8 in conference action.

Last Time Out
In its last outing, NC State dropped a 3-0 decision against the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville. Duke also lost in its most recent contest, falling 3-1 versus No. 20 Florida State in Tallahassee.

Last Meeting
Wednesday's contest will be the second meeting between the teams this season, as the Blue Devils edged the Wolfpack, 3-2, in the first matchup. Duke won the first set, but NC State countered by winning the next two to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Duke claimed the fourth set to force a deciding fifth set. NC State held the lead in the fifth set, but couldn't hang on as the Blue Devils rallied to win the set and the match.

Brown's KILLin It
In the past eight matches, sophomore outside hitter Julia Brown has tallied double-digit kills in every contest, posting a team high for NC State in six of those matches.

During the span, the Davidson, N.C., native has put down 115 kills and is averaging 3.71 kills per set. Both of which are best on the team during the past eight matches.

For the season, Brown leads the Wolfpack with double figure kills in 17 matches. She also now paces the Pack with 291 kills on the year.

Third Time's A Charm
NC State has won the third set in 21 of the 30 matches it has played this season. The adjustments made during the intermission after the second set have had a direct impact on the team's performance in the third frame.

State is outscoring opponents, 722-626 in the set, the greatest differential in any set this season.

Eppley Approaching 900
Junior libero Rachel Eppley is just two digs shy of reaching 900 digs for her career with 898 to her credit. The Charlotte, N.C., native logged 272 digs as a freshman, 312 in her sophomore year and has 314 this season.

Her total is the fifth most in program history during the 25-point rally-scoring era (since 2008).

You Got SERVEd
The Wolfpack's 167 service aces this season is the most in program history during the rally-scoring era (since 2001). NC State is averaging 5.57 service aces per match and 1.49 aces per set.

State tallied a season-high 11 service aces in a 3-1 win at home against Jacksonville earlier this year.

Scouting Duke
The Duke Blue Devils have had an up-and-down season, as the squad enters the match with a 15-13 overall record and 10-8 mark in ACC play. Last weekend, Duke split a pair of matches in Florida, defeating Miami in straight sets on Friday and dropping a 3-1 decision against Florida State on Sunday.

The Blue Devils have won three of the last four meetings against the Wolfpack, including the 3-2 victory in the first matchup this season.

On Monday, Leah Meyer was named the ACC's Freshman of the Week after logging double-digit kills in both matches played in Florida.

Senior Emily Sklar leads Duke offensively with 331 kills, an average of 3.89 kills per set. At the setter position, classmate Maggie Deichmeister has dished out 10.65 assists per set and libero Sasha Karelov is averaging 5.05 digs per set.

As a team, Duke has an attacking percentage of .240 and has limited opponents to a .211 clip.

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