BLACKSBURG – Heading into its first ACC weekend of the season, Virginia Tech's volleyball team will play as host to No. 9 Pitt and Virginia on Friday and Sunday at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum.
Tech will take on the defending ACC champions in No. 9 Pitt (12-0) on Friday at 6 p.m. ET, and will come back on Sunday to play in-state rival Virginia (4-7) at 1 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra, with Bailey Angle and Jake Lawrence on the call.
Pitt leads the all-time series 9-6 while Tech owns the advantage between the Cavaliers, 36-34. The Panthers got the best of the Hokies last fall, winning both matches in straight sets, and Tech took down UVA twice – four sets in Charlottesville and five frames in Blacksburg.
The Tech-UVA volleyball game is presented by Virginia529, the official college savings plan of Virginia Tech Athletics and the University of Virginia Athletics. The score for the "Commonwealth Clash" is tied at 0.5-0.5 after a draw in men's soccer on Sept. 7. Learn more about Virginia529 and this competition at www.thecommonwealthclash.com.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Fri. | 6 p.m. ET vs. No. 9 Pitt | Stats | Stream
Sun. | 1 p.m. ET vs. Virginia | Stats | Stream
Wrapping up its nonconference slate in San Antonio, Tech fell to host UTSA 3-1 at the UTSA Invitational after it lost to its first ranked foe of the season in then-No. 18 Baylor 3-0 the last time out.
Jaila Tolbert was the lone star for the Hokies who made the all-tournament team, racking up 28 kills on a .362 hitting percentage. The senior put down her second-most kills of the season (16) against the Roadrunners. She has earned three all-tournament team honors this fall - Charlotte, Bobcat and UTSA invites.
Kaity Smith was back in form, registering an almost double-double versus UTSA with 15 kills and nine digs. Fellow sophomore Ester Talamazzi was close as well, being just one dig shy with a nine-kill, 10-dig performance.
Carol Raffety scooped up 20 digs, marking her third match this year of having 20 or more.
FAN INFO
Promotions on Friday night will be Hokies for Hokies and the 90s Neon Night theme. There will be a 90's photo booth as well as 90's music throughout the match. Giveaways will be neon orange fanny packs, glow sticks and a 90's-themed basket raffle.
Sunday's theme is Team Day with local teams being invited to attend the match. There will be an on-court recognition for former Christiansburg High School volleyball player Ashlyn Poole, who passed away in a tragic car accident this past summer. A big fan of the Hokies, Ashlyn will be represented by Tech's coaching staff wearing customized T-shirts and wristbands.
Virginia Tech Athletics is implementing a clear-bag policy at all of its games this academic year. The policy will allow for a better and quicker experience at gates and is also a public safety measure that is being successfully implemented at other large venues including fellow ACC venues. For more info, click here.
SCOUTING No. 9 PITT
• No. 9 Pitt is coming off a win over Virginia on Wednesday, defeating the Cavaliers 3-0, and a 2-0 weekend, winning its third home tournament with wins over College of Charleston and High Point. Pitt, the preseason ACC favorite, owns an undefeated record of 12-0, making them the only undefeated school in the ACC.
• The Panthers started the season off hot despite playing elite competition. They opened up with wins over No. 15 Cal Poly, No. 13 Washington and a mutual opponent with Tech in VCU. Pitt currently has the best hitting percentage in the country (.315).
• Head Coach Dan Fisher enters his sixth year in Pittsburgh and owns an overall record of 130-45 (.743). He has led the Panthers to back-to-back second-round appearances in the NCAA Tournament, and is the reigning AVCA East Coast Region Coach of the Year and ACC Coach of the Year.
• Outside hitter Kayla Lund, who has earned two ACC Player of the Week honors so far this season, leads the Panthers with a 4.14 kills per set average, ranking second in the conference. Middle hitter Layne Van Buskirk owns the third-best hitting percentage in the league with a .408 clip.
SCOUTING VIRGINIA
• After a weekend off due to the cancellation of the VCU Invite, Virginia fell to No. 9 Pitt in straight sets in Pittsburgh. A notable match this season includes a ranked opponent in then-No. 21 Iowa State on Aug. 25, when UVA fell 3-1 at the Iowa State Challenge in Ames, Iowa.
• The Cavaliers take their 4-7 overall record with them as they travel to Blacksburg to compete in the first of two contests in the Commonwealth Clash. Virginia volleyball's last Commonwealth Cup victory dates back to Oct. 3, 2015, as the Hokies have taken five in a row from their in-state rival.
• Head Coach Aaron Smith begins his second year in Charlottesville, following a 7-24 season in his first year as the top one in command. Smith, a former assistant coach for the Cavaliers, was promoted in February 2017. He was honored with AVCA Thirty Under 30 award in 2013 as one of the country's up-and-coming coaches.
• Sophomore Sarah Billiard paces the Cavaliers with a team-best 3.89 kills per set, ranking fourth in the ACC. Sophomore Megan Wilson is fifth in the league with 9.66 assists per set.
