Volleyball Takes on Virginia, #3 Pitt in Lone October Road Trip

MATCH NOTES | VIRGINIA LIVE STATS | PITT LIVE STATS | ESPNU BROADCAST (SUNDAY)

RALEIGH, N.C. – Coming off its first sweep against an ACC opponent this season, the NC State volleyball team hits the road for its only away trip in the month of October. The Wolfpack are set to take on Virginia and No. 3 Pitt Oct. 18 and 20, respectively. Sundays match at Pitt will be broadcast on ESPNU and ACC Network.

NC State's (7-11, 2-4 ACC) sweep against Miami on Sunday was the first for the Pack against the Hurricanes since 2010. The Pack dominated every statistical category, led by Jade Parchment's 12 kills and .500 hitting percentage. Melissa Evans and Jessica Kemp both contributed 13 kills in addition to Kemp's match-high six blocks.

Evans leads the ACC with 273 kills this season while the team has a league-best 1,093 digs and ranks second with 15.18 digs per set. NC State has out-dug five of its six conference opponents.

SCOUTING VIRGINIA
After going 8-5 in non-conference play, the Cavaliers will look for their second conference win of the ACC schedule after being swept in both matches last weekend against Boston College and Syracuse.

Grace Turner leads Virginia (9-10, 1-5 ACC) with 3.63 kills per set while Mattison Matthews has a team-best .413 hitting percentage. The Cavaliers have held opponents to a .204 hitting percentage, ranking sixth in the league, despite having the fourth fewest digs per set. Virginia's Kelsey Miller is tied with Kaylee Frazier as the conference leader in digs per set (4.48) while Jelena Novakovic leads the conference in service aces (33).

SCOUTING PITT
Pitt (17-1, 6-0 ACC) currently sits as one of two undefeated teams left in ACC play, the other being Louisville. The Panthers have dropped only one set to conference opponents and are ranked #3 for the second-consecutive week, the highest ranking in program history. Pitt has swept its opponents in 12 matches this season with its only loss coming to then-No. 4 Penn State.

Freshman Lexis Akeo has made a splash for Pitt, leading the team to ranking sixth in the nation with 13.71 assists per set as a team. Akeo averages 10.63 which is second in the ACC. Pitt also boasts four 2018 All-Americans – Nika Markovic, Kayla Lund, Layne Van Buskirk and Stephanie Williams.

As a team, Pitt ranks fourth in the nation in kills per set (14.82) and 20^th in hitting percentage (.267).

THE SERIES
Hampton-Keith is 3-0 in her career against the Cavaliers, despite holding an all-time 49-27 advantage in the series. NC State has won the last three straight and eight of the last 11 against Virginia.

NC State is 2-9 all-time against Pitt, with the Pack's last win against them coming in 2017. NC State's only other win against the Panthers came in a five-set battle in 2013. The Pack have also pushed Pitt to at least four sets in the last five-straight meetings between the two teams.

UP NEXT
NC State enters the second half of its ACC schedule, returning home Oct. 25-27 to host Boston College and Syracuse. Both matches will be broadcast on ACCNX. Sunday's match versus Syracuse will be the Pack's annual Pink Match. Survivors are encouraged to register for a celebration of life event here.

Volleyball Takes on Virginia, #3 Pitt in Lone October Road Trip

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Players Mentioned

Melissa Evans

Kaylee Frazier

Jessica Kemp

Jade Parchment