Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech volleyball will welcome No. 12 SMU to Cassell Coliseum for an exciting matchup on Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. ET. The Hokies return to Blacksburg after road matchups against Boston College and Syracuse last week while SMU will travel for the first time in five games. With festive giveaways and exciting promotions in store, fans won’t want to miss this intriguing matchup. Here are five reasons to attend Hokie volleyball on Friday evening.
- Key Matchup – This Friday’s matchup will be the third time the Hokies and Mustangs have played each other in program history. While the series currently sits tied at 1-1, the Hokies won the most recent matchup on Sept. 2, 2017 in a convincing 3-0 fashion. Tech volleyball will see if they can upset a ranked SMU team that lost their most recent matchup to No. 4 Louisville 1-3.
- Day of the Dig – From Thursday, Oct. 31 to Sunday, Nov. 3, Virginia Tech Athletics will be celebrating Halloweekend across many of its Division I sports. Volleyball will celebrate with its Day of the Dig theme Friday, giving fans the opportunity to enter into the world of “Coco,” a movie that celebrates Mexican heritage around the Day of the Dead holiday. Be sure to experience Day of the Dig with “Coco” on Friday night!
- Special Promotions – Fans who attend the contest against SMU will have many opportunities to enter the world of “Coco” on Friday night. Hokies young and old will have the opportunity to create their very own masquerade mask while at the event, and attendees can also get their face painted with a sugar skull from the fan-favorite movie. Come enjoy all that Day of the Dig has to offer!
- ACC Matchup – Friday's competition will be the eleventh of 20 straight conference matchups to end the season. While the schedule has been dominated by ACC play as of late, the matchup against No. 12 SMU is only the third ranked conference opponent Tech has faced thus far. The Hokies are looking to land back in the win column against the Mustangs.
- Players of the Match – Keen fans in attendance should keep an eye on a mix of both offensive and defensive players against the Mustangs. Setter Viktoria Wahlgren has continued to dazzle on the hardwood, notching her fifth career double-double with 24 assists and 15 digs against Syracuse on Oct. 27. The junior currently leads the team in assists per set (7.96) and boasts 581 total assists on the season. Right side Sarah Malinowski has been a force on the net, most recently blocking Syracuse hitters four times over three sets in the most recent competition. Her total blocks (45) and blocks per set (0.70) both rank third on the team through 20 games. Hailey Pearce has continued to post impressive numbers this season with 251 points, ranking first on the team. Much of her point total can be attributed to her team-high 219 kills this fall.