@CanesVB Travels to Clemson and Georgia Tech
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team will hit the road for the final weekend of the 2015 regular season.
The Canes will travel to Clemson and Georgia Tech to close out ACC play, facing the Tigers at 7 p.m. on Wednesday and the Yellow Jackets in the regular season finale at 1 p.m. on Friday. Miami played its first home matches of ACC play this season against the Tigers and Yellow Jackets, sweeping Clemson on Oct. 4 and beating Georgia Tech in four sets on Oct. 2.
Miami hits the road looking to finish the regular season strong. One of five ACC teams ranked in the Top 50 in the most recent RPI, the Hurricanes head into the final two matches of ACC play ranked 38th in the NCAA Women’s Volleyball RPI Rankings.
The Hurricanes, who closed out their 2015 home schedule with a three-set win over Wake Forest on Sunday to finish 13-2 at the Knight Complex for the season, feature a talented and deep roster that boasts some of the top players in the conference.
Sophomore Olga Strantzali has garnered quite a bit of attention for her play this season. The outside hitter from Greece was named ACC Player of the Week in early November, becoming one of two Hurricanes to win an ACC weekly award this season. Strantzali leads the ACC with 49 service aces and ranks 13th in the NCAA with 0.47 service aces per set. She possesses a powerful left arm that also serves her well on the attack as Strantzali leads the Canes with 331 kills on the season.
Taylor Scott was the first Hurricane to garner ACC Player of the Week honors, earning the distinction following stellar play at the LSU Tournament in September that included a Miami victory over a 22nd-ranked Purdue squad. Scott has been a key player for the Canes all season, tallying 316 kills and ranking 10th in the ACC with 3.29 kills/set. The senior has also been dangerous with her serve, recording 21 aces on the year.
Alexis Mourning is another Cane that has made an impact in 2015. The senior middle blocker ranks eighth in the ACC with a team-high .344 hitting percentage. Mourning also leads Miami with 118 blocks on the season, proving that the senior captain is active at the net in all phases of the game.
Kelsie Groot is a key component to Miami’s success this season. The redshirt junior leads the Canes with nine double-doubles on the year. Groot is a player that makes an impact in a variety of areas, ranking in the Top 3 on the team in kills, assists and digs.
Sophomore Haley Templeton is the player who keeps Miami’s offense moving, dishing out assists to an array of talented attackers. The reigning ACC Freshman of the Year has had a strong sophomore campaign, dishing out 1,136 assists and averaging 10.52 assists per set to rank fourth in the ACC. Templeton is also a threat with her serve, recording 28 aces on the year.
Freshman middle blocker Lucia Pampana and senior defensive specialist Kalysta White round out Miami’s starters and each player brings a different skill set to the floor. Pampana is one of two Canes to record eight blocks in a single match this season, joining fellow middle blocker Sakile Simmons, while White leads the Canes with 416 digs and has recorded 17 service aces on the season.
The Hurricanes also have several key reserves that have contributed at various points throughout the season. Sophomore Sylvia Hernandez has recorded at least six digs in each of Miami’s previous six matches, while Caitilin Donahoe brings a dangerous serve that resulted in two service aces for the senior in Sunday’s home finale against Wake Forest.
Freshmen Kolby Bird and Anna Haak are two talented options that Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara has turned to in reserve at the outside hitter position, while Simmons has contributed in the middle. Sophomores Michele Marenus and Brooke McDermott and freshman Codi Lee have also stepped up when Gandara has called their names during the 2015 season.
Following this weekend’s action, the Hurricanes will tune into the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 29 as the 2015 NCAA Tournament field will be announced at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
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.
