Miami Takes on ACC Leader Pitt in Steel City Friday

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team hits the road for the first time in three weeks to entertain Atlantic Coast Conference leader Pittsburgh Friday.

The Hurricanes (15-4, 9-4 ACC) go into the matchup off of three consecutive sweeps, the last one against in-state rival Florida State on Wednesday. Behind a match-high performance from senior outside hitter Olga Strantzali, the ACC Co-Player of the Week and VolleyMob National Player of the Week, and redshirt junior setter Haley Templeton, who leads the conference in assists, Miami handed the Seminoles a straight-set loss for the first time since 2004. The victory tied the Canes’ number of total wins and ACC wins from 2016 with seven matches still yet to be played in the current campaign.

Miami heads to Steel City with a .789 overall winning percentage, the highest in the ACC. The Hurricanes entered the week as No. 30 in the nation in the RPI, which is second-highest among among ACC teams after No. 22 Louisville.

Last time the Canes played Pitt, they nearly came back from two sets down against the Panthers, who were then undefeated in ACC play.

Pittsburgh (17-6, 10-2 ACC) is one of the three teams tied at the top of the conference standings along with Louisville and NC State. The Panthers suffered defeats to the other two 10-2 teams since they last saw Miami – back-to-back defeats on Oct. 22 and Oct. 27, respectively, that ended Pitt’s 13-match win streak. The Panthers got back on track, however, taking down Notre Dame in straight sets in Indiana on Sunday.

Following the unusual week of both home and road play, the Hurricanes will return to the Knight Sports Complex for matches against Boston College (Nov. 9) and Syracuse (Nov. 12).  
 
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