Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – With the regular season coming to a close, the Virginia Tech volleyball team will take on in-state rival Virginia in the Commonwealth Clash on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. ET and North Carolina in the regular-season finale on Friday at 3 p.m. ET with both matches being played at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum.
The Hokies (10-19, 3-13 ACC), with just two matches left in the season, will face in-state rival Virginia (4-13, 12-18) on senior day, which will recognize Abby Mckinzie and Ester Talamazzi. Tech will then square off against the third-ranked team in the ACC standings in North Carolina (15-11, 12-4).
WEEK SCHEDULE
Wed. | 4:30 p.m. ET vs. Virginia | Stats | Watch
Fri. | 3 p.m. ET vs. North Carolina | Stats
Tech looks for payback for its Sept. 27 loss to the Cavaliers on the road. In the match, sophomore Talyn Jackson notched a double-double recording 42 assists and 14 digs. Middle blocker Marisa Cerchio posted a team-high 15 kills in the Commonwealth Clash loss. The Hokies can tie the Commonwealth Class presented by Virginia529 at 2.5-2.5 with a victory on Wednesday.
In the 2018 season, The Hokies defeated the Cavaliers 3-0 in Cassell Coliseum. Kaity Smith tallied 11 kills and 11 digs in the victory.
Last time against North Carolina, on Oct. 6, Jackson had yet another 42 assist outing while Kaity Smith registered a double-double with 12 kills and 16 digs on the road. Freshman Logan Mosley collected 21 digs in the contest.
Mosley inched closer to the all-time freshman dig record at Tech after she scooped up 13 digs versus Clemson, bringing her total on the season to 478. Mosley is just four digs shy of breaking the record.
SCOUTING VIRGINIA
- Virginia is coming off a 3-0 win over Boston College (19-11, 10-7) in Charlottesville to earn win No. 12 on the season. The Cavaliers have wins over Wake Forest (13-15, 3-14) and Clemson (11-17, 5-12) this season in the ACC.
- Virginia is led by Aaron Smith, who is in his third year as the head coach, and eighth year with the program.
- The Cavaliers are paced by Jelena Novakovic, who ranks third in the ACC in aces per set with 0.41 per frame and a total of 42 on the season.
- The Hokies lead the all-time series against Virginia 37-36 with just one win separating the two programs. The Cavaliers owned the last two matches in Charlottesville while Tech claimed the previous match in Blacksburg.
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA
- North Carolina defeated its arch-rival Duke last time out, which moved them to third place in the ACC standings. UNC will face Wake Forest Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Chapel Hill.
- The Tar Heels head coach Joe Sagula is currently in his 30th season with UNC. Sagula has racked up 599 wins in his time in Chapel Hill and over 800 victories in his career.
- North Carolina is led by Lauren Harrison, who sits at third in the ACC in kills per set with 3.73 per stanza.
- UNC currently leads the all-time series 27-6. Tech last beat the Tar Heels 3-0 in Blacksburg last season.