Hurricanes Head to Clemson for ACC Match-up
Oct. 28, 2004
Coral Gables, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team will try to extend their five-match winning streak when they travel to South Carolina to face ACC rival Clemson Friday at 7:00 p.m.
The Hurricanes have been on an ACC tear, going 4-for-4 against ACC opponents in their last five matches. Miami (12-6 overall, 7-3 ACC) moved up to second in the ACC standings behind first-ranked Georgia Tech, who they will face Saturday night.
Last Sunday, the Hurricanes defeated former BIG EAST rival Virginia Tech, 3-0, at the Knight Sports Complex.
Leading the way for Miami is senior outside hitter Valeria Tipiana, who became the Hurricanes’ first-ever ACC Player of the Week, on October 25th. Tipiana is hitting 4.82 kills per game and is ranked 1st in the ACC and 14th in the nation in aces per game (0.63). Sophomore setter Jill Robinson continues to run the offense for the Hurricanes. Her 13.52 assists per game places her second in the ACC and 13th among players in the NCAA. Redshirt freshman middle blocker Ciara Michel, is posting 1.43 kills per game; good for second in the ACC.
As a team, the Hurricanes are currently ranked second in the ACC in hitting percentage (.249), kills per game (16.20) and assists per game (15.32). The assists total also ranks them 19th in the nation.
Miami heads to Jervey Gymnasium to face a Clemson squad that improved to 15-9 overall after a three-game win over Georgia Southern University Tuesday evening. The Tigers will face Miami in their second match of a seven-match home stand.
Both teams are tied with one win apiece in the all-time series, although the Hurricanes have not faced the Tigers since the 1981 season.
As a team, the Tigers have held opponents to a .193 hitting percentage while hitting a .236 average, fourth in the ACC. Clemson is also fifth in kills (15.49pg) and assists (14.55pg) while sitting third in aces (1.70pg).
Leslie Finn is hitting an ACC best 455 kills (5.35pg) for the Tigers. She is 11th among the nation’s best in the category. Also posting impressive numbers is Lori Ashton who is on the ACC leaders list in hitting percentage (.338), blocks per game (1.18) and kills per game (3.80). Clemson’s Leslie Mansfield is third in the ACC with 25 service aces. Defensively, Anna Vallinch has registered an average 4.84 digs per game.
