Wolfpack Volleyball Tangles with Tar Heels in ACC Opener

Match Links
Live Video - ACC Network Extra
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Twitter - @PackVball

RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State volleyball team opens Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play Thursday night when the UNC-Chapel Hill Tar Heels make the short commute to Raleigh. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. inside Reynolds Coliseum.

The match will be broadcast live on the ACC Network Extra, a digital channel accessible through Watch ESPN or the Watch ESPN App. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth (17 and younger). Admission is free for children age two or younger.

Match Promotions
NC State will be hosting a 'Red Out' Thursday night, as fans are encouraged to wear red and free NC State red t-shirts will be available for fans while supplies last. The Wolfpack will also host a post match autograph session.

Last Time Out
In its last action of the season, NC State (7-5) split its final non-conference matches of the season, defeating Campbell, 3-1, but lost to UNCW on Sunday by that same margin.

Battle of ACC's Top Offenses
Two of the ACC's top offenses will be on display Thursday night, as NC State leads the conference with 13.69 kills per set and the Tar Heels are second in the league with 13.66.

UNC headlines the conference with a .259 attacking percentage, while NCSU is fourth with a .221 clip. The Wolfpack paces the ACC in assists per set with 13.11 and the Heels are a close second at 12.82.

SPEAKS For Itself
Setter Maggie Speaks has been enjoying a stellar senior campaign, as she leads the ACC with 10.88 assists per set. In the Wolfpack's win against SMU, she recorded a career-best and rally-scoring era program record 64 assists, which ties as the second most by an ACC player this season.

Brown Excelling in New Role
Junior Julia Brown has made the adjustment from being a three-rotation outside hitter in her first two seasons to being a six-rotation outside hitter for NC State this year. She is flourishing in her new role, as she leads the ACC in attacks per set with 11.43 and is third in the league with 3.95 kills per set.

Brown has charted double-digit kills in nine of the Pack's 12 matches this year, headlined by eight consecutive contests with 10 or more kills.

Seeing Double
Speaks is currently tied for the ACC lead in double-doubles at seven, along with Georgia Tech's Teegan Van Gunst and Virginia Tech's Lindsey Owens. The Camden, S.C., native has recorded double digit assists and double figure digs in six of her last seven matches.

Scouting UNC-Chapel Hill
UNC-Chapel Hill enters Thursday's contest with an 8-2 overall record and is currently ranked 12^th in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll. The Tar Heels dropped a five-set match at TCU in their most recent outing last Saturday.

Last season, UNC-CH swept the season series with NCSU, earning a 3-0 win in Raleigh and a 3-1 victory on its home court.

Freshman Julia Scoles leads the team offensively with 3.09 kills per set, while Taylor Leath is a close second with 2.91 kps. At the setter position, Abigail Curry leads the way with 7.37 assists per set. Defensively, libero Sheila Doyle averages 4.29 digs per set, while Sydnye Fields contributes 1.90 blocks per set.

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Wolfpack Volleyball Tangles with Tar Heels in ACC Opener

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Players Mentioned

Julia Brown

Maggie Speaks