Tech set to face [RV] Fighting Irish, No. 23 Cardinals

BLACKSBURG – Continuing its four-match homestand this weekend, the Virginia Tech volleyball team will face [RV] Notre Dame on Friday and No. 23 Louisville on Sunday at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum.

Seeking their first league win of the season, the Hokies (7-12, 0-6 ACC) will battle against two teams that just faced each other on Wednesday, a five-set win for the Cardinals (14-3, 7-0) over the Fighting Irish (13-4, 6-1) in South Bend.

Both matches will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra, with Evan Hughes (play-by-play) and Jake Lawrence (color) on the call.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Fri. | 6 p.m. ET vs. [RV] Notre Dame | Stats | Watch
Sun. | 1 p.m. ET vs. No. 23 Louisville | Stats | Watch

The last time out, Tech kicked off its first home ACC weekend, playing host to Clemson (7-10, 1-5) and Georgia Tech (10-7, 3-3) and fell in both matches.

Against the Tigers, junior Kaity Smith posted her third straight double-double in a row, marking the first time she's done that in her storied career and just the second Hokie in the Jill Wilson era to accomplish the feat. Versus the Yellow Jackets, freshman Cera Powell tallied eight kills and her highest hitting percentage (.250) since Sept. 13.

In the ACC rankings, freshman Logan Mosley owns the No. 3 mark in the ACC for digs per set (4.44) and sophomore Talyn Jackson ranks seventh in the league for assists per set with a 9.31 average.

SCOUTING [RV] NOTRE DAME

•  Notre Dame, just like Louisville, enters this weekend coming off of two sweeps against Duke (8-11, 1-5) and Wake Forest (11-6, 1-5) last weekend in North Carolina. However, after their 3-2 setback Wednesday to UofL, the Fighting Irish have yet to lose back-to-back matches this fall, something the Hokies hope to make a reality.

•  Head coach Mike Johnson enters his second season in South Bend after being promoted to the head man last year. Johnson has faced Tech just once, but is 1-0 with a 3-0 win on his home court in 2018.

•  The Irish are paced offensively by preseason All-ACC pick Zoe Nunez, who boasts the second-best assists per set average in the ACC (10.66). 

• Notre Dame leads the all-time series 7-4 against the Hokies and have won four of the last five. The last time Tech won against the Irish in Cassell was in 2014, a 3-0 sweep.

SCOUTING No. 23 LOUISVILLE

•  Louisville, before it won on the road at Notre Dame earlier this week, beat Duke and Wake Forest this past weekend. Louisville is tied for first place in the ACC along with No. 3 Pitt (17-1, 6-0).

•  Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly enters her third season in Louisville, following her time at Nebraska as the associate head coach. Busboom Kelly, who took over UofL the same year as Tech coach Jill Wilson, has the upper hand in the series with a 3-0 record over the Hokies. 

•  The Cardinals are led by Anna Stevenson at the net, who ranks seventh in the conference for blocks per set with a 1.20 mark.

•  The Hokies trail in the all-time series against Louisville 24-3 and will look to snap their 11-match losing streak to the Cards that dates back to 1992.