@CanesVB Hosts Boston College and Syracuse
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team will host Boston College and Syracuse at the James L. Knight Sports Complex during ACC Sportsmanship Week.
The Hurricanes (12-6, 5-3 ACC) will host Boston College (9-11, 1-7 ACC) at 7 p.m. on Friday and Syracuse (16-4, 6-2 ACC) on Oct. 25 at 1 p.m. At all ACC home competitions during Fall Sportsmanship Week, every league team will showcase its continued dedication to sportsmanship by participating in a pregame handshake.
Miami has a bevy of talented players leading the Hurricanes into this weekend’s home matches, led by senior captain Alexis Mourning. The middle blocker ranks sixth in the ACC with a team-leading .367 hitting percentage. Mourning is also Miami’s top blocker with 74 blocks through 18 matches.
Olga Strantzali is another key component to Miami’s success this season. The sophomore leads the ACC and ranks 25th in the country with 0.44 service aces per set. A talented outside hitter, Strantzali leads the Hurricanes with 243 kills on the season.
Taylor Scott and Kelsie Groot are also key hitters for the Canes, ranking second and third on the team in kills, respectively. Scott has 190 kills on the season and was named ACC Player of the week during nonconference play, while Groot posted a career-high 21 kills in Miami’s win at NC State last weekend.
Haley Templeton has kept the Hurricane offense running smoothly, dishing out a career-high 56 assists in Miami’s win at NC State. Templeton ranks fourth in the ACC with 10.33 assists per set.
Middle blockers Lucia Pampana and Sakile Simmons have both contributed when their opportunity has arisen, while freshman Kolby Bird was a key reserve a week ago registering nine kills against NC State and leading the Canes with nine kills at UNC.
Kalysta White rounds out Miami’s projected starters at libero and the senior leads the Canes with 266 digs on the season. Miami also has a talented and deep bench that has seen senior setter Caitilin Donahoe, sophomores Brooke McDermott, Michele Marenus and Sylvia Hernandez and freshman Codi Lee contribute throughout the 2015 season.
In addition to the on-court action this weekend, free ice cream will be served prior to Sunday’s match while supplies lasts. All Miami home matches are played at the James L. Knight Sports Complex on the University of Miami campus and admission is free.
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.
