No. 24 VB Returns Home, Hosts Dig Pink Friday
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Riding an eight-match winningstreak, No. 24 Miami volleyball returns home to host Virginia Tech (6 p.m.) andVirginia (1 p.m.) at the Knight Sports Complex on Friday and Sunday. The Caneshave won their last 14 at home and 25 of the last 26 dating back to lastseason.
UM (18-3,10-1) defeated the Cavaliers (7-15, 1-10) on the road on Sept. 21, but sufferedits only conference loss at Virginia Tech (13-8, 6-5) two days later. Miami istied at the top of the league standings with Florida State.
“We feellike we didn’t put out our best effort against Virginia Tech in Blacksburgearlier this season and we look forward to the opportunity to play them again,”head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch said. “They have a lot of good players and weknow it will be a challenge playing them and Virginia for the second time.”
Theprogram has designated Friday as the Dig Pink match, as shirts will be sold anddonations accepted to benefit the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Theteams will be sporting pink gear and accessories to show support for the cause.
“DigPink is a special event for us because it is such a great cause,” LantagneWelch said. “All of us are somehow affected by someone with cancer in ourlives. It is important to give back and support the research efforts however wecan.”
Miami,ranked in the AVCA Poll for the second time this season and sitting at No. 17in the NCAA RPI, took down both Clemson and Georgia Tech on the road lastweekend. Sophomore middle blocker Emani Sims totaled 27 kills and 23 totalblocks in the two matches to earn ACC Player of the Week for the second timethis season, in addition to Collegiate Volleyball Update National Player of theWeek. She became the third Cane to earn the national weekly honor in programhistory.
Sparkedby the efforts of Sims, the Hurricanes set a school record with 23 total teamblocks against the Tigers. UM ranks seventh in the nation in blocks (3.08/set)out of 328 Division I teams.
“We havesome very athletic players and they have become more disciplined with our blocking,”Lantagne Welch commented. “That combination has allowed us to be moresuccessful at the net and shut down some of the opposing hitters.”
TheHokies won home matches against Wake Forest and Duke last weekend to jump over.500 in the ACC. Setter Jordan Fish leads the conference with 11.04 assists perset (872) this season, while Jennifer Wiker has posted 250 kills (3.25/set) tolead the offense. VT ranks second in the ACC with a .265 hitting percentage.The Hurricanes had won the previous eight matches over Virginia Tech before themeeting earlier this season.
TheCavaliers will travel to take on Florida State on Friday before heading toSouth Florida for Sunday’s match. UVA picked up its first ACC win last weekend,defeating Wake Forest in four sets at home. Natalie Bausback paces the teamwith 213 kills (2.66/set). UM has swept the last three meetings againstVirginia.
CanesAll Access will provide a live premium stream of both matches, with live statsalso available at HurricaneSports.com. In addition, WVUM will broadcast theaction courtside at 88.7-FM and at WVUM.org.
Single-game tickets tohome volleyball matches are available for as low as $3. Call 1-800-GO-CANES toorder your tickets today. For all the latest information on Miami Hurricanes volleyball, followthe official Twitter feed, @CanesVB, or “Like Us” on Facebook atfacebook.com/MiamiHurricanes.
