@CanesVB Opens ACC Play at Florida State
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team heads to rival Florida State to open its 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference schedule.
The Hurricanes travel to Tallahassee to face the 17th-ranked Seminoles in the Canes’ 2015 ACC opener, a match that will be televised on ESPN U at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Miami enters Wednesday’s match against the Noles on a four-match winning streak that includes a win over then No. 20 Purdue. The Hurricanes will look to continue their hot streak in what should be an exciting match against a conference and in-state rival.
“Coming into ACC play from our non-conference tournaments has given us a lot of momentum and were ready to continue getting better as a team,” senior Alexis Mourning said. “Every team in the ACC is strong and anyone can lose any night so we’re focusing on keeping our errors down, giving meaning to each point and staying consistent.”
Miami (7-3, 0-0 ACC) brings a talented and deep roster to Tallahassee. Mourning is one of the biggest leaders for the Canes and the veteran middle blocker has been a force all season for Miami, earning two all-tournament honors during non-conference play and leading the Canes in Blocks while ranking second on the team in hitting percentage. Mourning also has plenty of experience facing the Noles and is excited about the opportunity to open her final ACC season against Florida State.
“It’s exciting to open with FSU, especially since it’s our rival school and we’re at their home,” Mourning said. “They always have a crazy environment, it gets emotional but it’s going to be really fun being challenged and staying composed against this team. It’s going to be a tough match”
Fellow senior Taylor Scott and redshirt junior Kelsie Groot have also been playing strong volleyball during Miami’s non-conference tournaments. Scott was instrumental in Miami’s win over the ranked Purdue Boilermakers, earning Tournament MVP honors at the LSU Tournament and ACC Player of the Week honors. Groot has been one of the most consistent Hurricanes, recording double-digit kills in eight straight matches heading into Tallahassee.
Miami has also gotten a boost from stellar sophomores Olga Strantzali and Haley Templeton. Strantzali leads the ACC and ranks 15th in the country with 0.53 service aces per set. The talented outside hitter also leads Miami with 137 kills and ranks second on the team in blocks with 26.
Templeton has followed up her outstanding freshman campaign with a solid start to her sophomore season. The sophomore has dished out 408 assists so far this season, keeping Miami’s balanced attack running smoothly. She is also dangerous with her serve, recording 10 aces on the year.
The Canes have seen freshman Lucia Pampana step up recently at middle blocker. The Italian native has helped Miami go 4-0 since moving into the starting lineup, making an impact at the net offensively and defensively. Pampana led the Canes in attack percentage in their three-set win over Seattle, hitting .750 against the Redhawks. She also is one of two Canes to record eight blocks in a match this year, joined by fellow middle blocker Sakile Simmons.
Kalysta White rounds out Miami’s projected starters and the senior libero makes an impact in multiple areas. Along with anchoring Miami’s back row, White has eight service aces on the year. The senior has been red hot with her serves lately, recording seven aces over the previous four matches.
Simmons is one of several gifted options Miami has available in reserve. The sophomore, who leads the team with a .486 attack percentage, earned valuable experience as a freshman a year ago when she played in every match for a Hurricanes team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Senior setter Caitilin Donahoe and sophomore defensive specialists Michele Marenus and Sylvia Hernandez join talented freshmen Anna Haak, Kolby Bird and Codi Lee as players who have contributed for the Hurricanes so far in 2015.
Following Wednesday’s match at Florida State, the Hurricanes will close out the opening weekend of conference play at Louisville on Sunday, Sept. 27 in a match that will be broadcasted on ESPN3 beginning at 12:30 p.m.
For all the latest information on Miami Hurricanes volleyball, follow the official Twitter feed, @CanesVB, or “Like Us” on Facebook at facebook.com/UMVolleyball. The program is also on Instagram.
