Hurricanes Set to Face Clemson and Georgia Tech
Sept. 28, 2006
CORAL GABLES, FLa. – The University of Miami volleyball team face a two-match road swing with matches at Clemson and Georgia Tech this weekend. The Hurricanes will square off against the Tigers on Friday at 7:00 p.m. before facing the Yellow Jackets Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
Last weekend the Hurricanes (4-8, 1-2 ACC) defeated Maryland (7-4, 0-2 ACC) in three games. Their win over the Terrapins marked their first ACC match win so far for the season.
The Hurricanes out-blocked Maryland with 11 total blocks, led by Junior Ciara Michel. Despite being ranked first in blocks in the ACC, the Terrapins’ only posted seven blocks total. Michel posted two solo blocks and registered seven block assists, along with 11 assists. She leads Miami with 63 total blocks and a 1.31 average per game and ranks sixth in the ACC.
Senior Setter Jill Robinson posted an impressive double-double, totaling her fourth for the season. She led the match with 39 assists and 10 digs. Robinson leads the team with 466 total assists and ranks eighth in the ACC with a 9.91 assists average. She is also second on the team in digs, with 112 total.
Senior Frannie Savage led the match against Maryland with 14 kills and a .387 hitting percentage. Savage has moved up one spot in the ACC rankings in both kills and points. She is ranked third in the Conference with 3.94 kills per game, and fourth with a 4.58 per game average in points. She leads her team with 189 total kills and 220.0 total points.
Defensively, senior Ann Gallo leads the team with 2.88 digs per game, while freshman libero Casilia Loessberg is in third place on the team with 91 digs and a 2.33 average per game. Loessberg led the match over Maryland with 16 digs, making it her third match in a row leading the Hurricanes in digs.
As a team, the Hurricanes are sixth in blocks (2.54pg), seventh in hitting (.219), and eighth in kills (13.52), assists (12.46) and are ninth in service aces (1.50) and digs (13.71).
Scouting the Opponents:
Clemson – The Tigers will open up their ACC play against the Hurricanes at the Jervey Gym with a 6-4 overall record and 1-1 in the ACC. Clemson is ranked tenth in the conference, however, as a team they place third hitting .243.
Clemson is led by Jeanette Abbott with 162 kills (4.26 per game) and Kelsey Murphy with 204 assists (7.56 per game). On defense, Didem Ege leads the Tigers with 162 digs, while Danielle Hepburn posts 59 total blocks for the season (1.55 per game).The Tigers rank second in blocks with 3.03 per game, fifth in assists (13.29, kills (14.76), digs (15.34), and seventh in service aces with 1.58.
Georgia Tech – The Yellow Jackets will play in their fourth regular season ACC match against the Hurricanes at the O’Keefe Gym. After losing 3-0 in two back-to-back ACC matches against Wake Forest and Duke, Georgia Tech fall to 10th place in the rankings with an 8-4 overall record, 0-2 ACC.
Jackets are 19th in the country, hitting .280 led by Erin Birmingham, who is second in the ACC, hitting .360. The offense is led by sophomore outside hitter Talisa Kellogg (3.37 kpg), and sophomore setter Alli Niekamp (11.82 apg/2.22dpg).Defensively, the Yellow Jackets are led by Abby Showers (4.0 dpg) and Michelle Kandell (2.07 dpg).
Georgia Tech ranks second in the ACC in hitting, fourth in assists (13.80) and kills (15.18) sixth in service aces (1.67), and eighth in blocks 2.31) and digs (13.84).
Both Hurricane matches can be seen live online through ACC Select, a new online video stream presented by the Atlantic Coast Conference in partnership with Raycom Sports and Lincoln Financial Sports. Fans can access ACC Select at www.accselect.com for complete details.
The Hurricanes will be back at home Friday, October 6 to take on NC State at 8:00 p.m. at the Knight Sports Complex.Tickets are on sale through the Hurricane Ticket Office. Prices are $5 for adults and $3 for children and senior citizens. Please contact the ticket office at 305-284-CANE.
