The University of Virginia women's volleyball team opens conference play tonight against Virginia Tech at Memorial Gymnasium.
The Cavaliers (5-4 0-0 ACC) are coming off three consecutive weekends of tough non-conference tournaments. Last week, Virginia competed in the University of San Diego Invitational and went 1-2, losing its first two matches to Oklahoma and San Diego before beating the University of California, Santa Barbara, which received a berth to the NCAA Tournament last year.
"I think our non-conference matches have definitely paid off," Virginia coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton said. "We got to play some really high caliber teams, and now in the conference, we won't be shocked by anything. There won't be anything we haven't seen before."
Leading the way for the Cavaliers will be seniors Sarah Kirkwood and Melissa Caldwell. Both Kirkwood, an outside hitter, and Caldwell, a libero, earned all-tournament team honors last weekend during the invitational tournament in San Diego, Calif.
Kirkwood also set the Virginia career kills record in the match against Oklahoma, tallying 1,574 total kills in her career.
The setting duties have fallen on the shoulders of freshman Kelly Irvin, from Pacific Palisades, Calif. and junior Marlow Bruneau, from Lakeville, Minn., both of whom have done a fine job helping the offense find a rhythm during the last three weeks.
"We have a few things to smooth out," Bruneau said. "But I think we can easily turn losses to wins."
The Hokies (6-4 0-0 ACC) come to Charlottesville fresh off a 1-2 performance at the Panther Invitational in Milwaukee, Wis. Virginia Tech beat Bradley but fell to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Cincinnati.
Last year, Virginia and Virginia Tech split, with each winning on its home court. As with any rivalry, however, statistics do not mean much whenever these two teams compete.
"It's definitely intense," Shelton said. "Last year, we ended the season with a split, and I don't think the NCAA selection committee looked on it favorably. Tech is always tough, whether we're home or away, and the team is definitely excited to start conference play with them."
Virginia Tech enters the match leading the ACC in blocks per game (3.28), and is third in opponent's hitting percentage (.152).
Players to keep an eye on for the Hokies are senior Jen Albrecht, sophomores Taylor Parrish and Michelle Lang and freshman Felicia Willoughby.
Albrecht is seventh in the conference in kills per game (3.50), while Parrish was selected to the Preseason All-ACC Team. Lang is second in the ACC in assists per game (11.64), and Willoughby leads the conference in blocks per game (1.59).
The teams match up evenly with theirserve and defense. If Virginia executes its offense and the setters can get the Cavaliers into a rhythm, however, Virginia should have the edge against the Hokies.
"We're definitely going to have to bring our 'A' game," Bruneau. "It should be a fun match, and if we work out the kinks, I think we can definitely go for the win."
The action begins at 7 p.m. at Memorial Gymnasium, and admission is free.
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