Oct. 29, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - With the first half of the ACC schedule behind them, the Wake Forest volleyball team is setting their sites on an a potential ACC title as the Demon Deacons head to Florida this weekend. Wake will take on Florida State at 7 p.m. on Friday evening before heading to Miami for a 1:00 p.m. tilt on Sunday. As the second half begins, there are nine teams within three games of first place in the ACC standings. The matches this weekend will be key for the Deacs, who are currently two just games back. Wake is tied for seventh with the Seminoles at 6-5 while Miami is just one game ahead at 7-4. Virginia Tech, Duke and Clemson are all tied at the top at 8-3. Moving up this weekend will be difficult for the Deacs as FSU has won five of it last six matches and six straight against Wake. The Seminoles also handed Wake its lone home loss this season back on Sept. 25, as FSU pulled out the victory in an epic, five-set battle. Both matches can be seen on ACC Select. After dropping four-straight ACC road contests, the Deacons got back on track last weekend with a pair of home victories over Boston College and Maryland to boost their record to 12-1 in Reynolds Gym this season. Against the Eagles, junior Sally Fischer, who has worked her way into the rotation the last two weeks, recorded a career-high five services aces and was also just one dig shy of her career-high. Fischer would, however, reach her career-high in digs one night later against the Terrapins, collecting 12 of the team's 52 digs in Wake's 3rd annual Susan G. Komen Dig For a Cure match. Thanks to those 52 digs and numerous donations, the Demon Deacons were able to raise nearly $11,000 for the Komen Foundation which aids in breast cancer research. Graduate student Natalie Mullikin also had a good weekend, recording 20 kills and 12 total blocks in the two wins. She is fifth in the conference at 3.32 kills per set and is ninth with a .332 hitting percentage.
Mullikin also leads the team with a total of 94 blocks and is just 15 block assists away from breaking Margaret Davidson's school record of 388 for her career. Sophomore Lauren McIntyre has also had a good season in the middle for the Deacs, as she has stayed block-for-block with Mullikin this season. Over her last four matches, McIntyre has averaged nearly 1.6 blocks per set and her 1.21 blocks per set for the season has her ranked 43rd in the country. Setter Kelsey Jones has had a strong sophomore campaign, leading the team with 12 double-doubles and averaging 10.70 assists per set as well as 2.82 digs per set. Jones' 10.70 digs per set are good enough for third in the conference and 40th in the country. She also ranks fourth all-time in school history for most career assists as she is just 43 assists away from 2,000. Defensively, Wake is led by sophomore libero Megan Thornberry. The St. Louis, Mo., native has recorded 374 digs for an average of 4.51 digs per set which ranks her fourth in the conference. Junior Abby Miller is second on the team with 243 digs and 2.93 digs per set. Sophomore Kristen White is second on the squad with 206 kills and is tied for the team lead with a total of 15 service aces. Freshman Cambrey Oehler has also notched 15 aces while averaging 1.81 digs per set. The road has not been kind to the Deacons so far this season. Wake is just 1-5 away from home including 0-4 in the conference. Despite struggling against the Seminoles, Wake has faired better against its other opponent from the sunshine state. The Deacs swept the Hurricanes earlier this season and also won in three sets in their last trip to South Beach on Sept. 28, 2007. Florida State comes into the weekend having swept both Virginia Tech and Virginia on the road last weekend. Stephanie Neville recorded 23 kills and had a hitting percentage of .333 in the two wins. For her efforts, Neville was named the ACC Volleyball Player of the Week on Monday. For the season, Lauren Richardson tops FSU with 208 kills and Brianna Barry leads the squad at 3.25 kills per set. Nikki Baker has dished out 815 assists and is second in the ACC at 10.72 assists per set. Defensively, senior Ashley Moon leads the conference and is 18th in the country at 5.10 digs per set. Florida State holds a 20-5 advantage in the all-time series with Wake and has won the last four meetings in Tallahassee. Miami lost both matches last weekend to Virginia and Virginia Tech but still has a 19-4 overall record. The Deacs handed the `Canes their first loss of the season on Sept. 26 with a three-set sweep. Freshman Lane Carico had a tremendous match in the five-set loss to Virginia last Friday, as she finished with match-highs of 27 digs and 20 kills. The Hurricanes had three players record 20+ digs against Virginia as well as four players with double-digit kills. For the season, Carico leads the team with 264 kills but junior Genny Mayhew is not far behind her with 251. Sophomore setter Katie Gallagher has had a solid season, topping the team with 827 assists as well as 28 service aces. Wake has won two of the last three meetings with Miami but the `Canes hold a 5-3 edge in the all-time series, including a 3-1 edge in Miami. After this weekend, the Deacs will be seeking revenge for a pair of three-set loss to both Georgia Tech and Clemson earlier in the year. Wake will host Georgia Tech on Friday night before taking on the Tigers on Saturday. |
