Relentless. With the way the Virginia volleyball team has been performing lately, the description seems applicable. The Cavaliers turned their season around Nov. 8 when they dominated N.C. State, giving the squad the momentum it needed going into its last matches of the regular season.
As the Cavaliers (16-13, 8-9 ACC) hit the road to face fellow ACC teams Wake Forest (17-12, 8-9 ACC) tonight and Duke (21-8, 12-5 ACC) tomorrow, they hope to maintain the competitive level that led to the team’s success against conference rivals N.C. State, Maryland and Boston College in November.
Earlier this season, Duke defeated Virginia in a close 3-2 (28-30, 25-22, 23-25, 28-26, 12-15) match. Virginia held its own, sending the match into a five-game contest. The team, however, was unable to overcome the Blue Devils.
After the heartbreaking loss to Duke, the team hoped to fix the mistakes that led to its defeat. That same weekend, Virginia emerged victorious against Wake Forest in a 3-1 (14-25, 25-21, 25-16, 27-25) match.
“Previously this year, we split with them,” sophomore setter Kelly Irvin said. “We had beaten Wake and lost to Duke, so it will be really important for us to come out and win these matches not only for standings but for our students, so we can finish strong.”
The defense must be especially strong this weekend, as Duke and Wake Forest share a similar aggressive offensive style that demands great attention if an opponent hopes to come out on top.
“For both teams, it’s going to be really important for us to defend their slide attack,” coach Lee Maes said. “It’s something that was really effective for them the first time they played us. It’s the bread and butter of both teams.”
Maes explained that a slide attack is a 1-foot jump spike approach by either the middle or the right-side hitters that allows the offense to place the ball anywhere in the zone along the net. The offensive tool looks similar to a one-footed lay-up in basketball, Maes noted, but it is a much bigger threat than the basic basketball skill.
“It’s very difficult to stop because you don’t know at what point they’re going to hit the set,” Maes said. “So the block has a really difficult time setting up against the slide, so that’s why it’s really effective.”
In addition to the offensive competition Virginia will face, today and tomorrow mark the senior nights for both Wake Forest and Duke, respectively. It is bound to be an emotional occasion for the Demon Deacon and Blue Devil players, but it could also evoke positive energy for Virginia’s players.
“I think in those situations, you can kind of use the energy that might be coming from the crowd or from their team to motivate you,” junior outside hitter Lauren Dickson said. “It’s not just the electric atmosphere for them; we can use that atmosphere for us too.”
It will not be long until Virginia gets the chance to celebrate its own seniors at home next weekend as the team closes out the regular season against Virginia Tech. During this contest, middle blocker Shannon Davis, setter Marlow Bruneau and outside hitter Beth Shelton will be recognized as Cavalier seniors.
“That last match, first and foremost, is an opportunity for us to finish the season on a winning note,” Maes said. “It’s also going to be an opportunity to celebrate the three seniors that we have and their contribution to Virginia volleyball. They’ve been wonderful examples of someone who’s put a lot of investment, commitment [and] sacrifice to help get the program where it is now and certainly to lay a foundation for others to follow.”
Although the three seniors are looking forward to the matchup against Tech, they will be sure not to overlook today and Saturday’s games. The Cavaliers will concentrate on the ultimate goal of “finishing strong” — the team’s motto from the start of the season.
“We talk about [finishing strong] every day,” Maes said. “We ask them to define what ‘finish strong’ means, each player. What we’ve done at the beginning of each practice is read each player’s definition of what finish strong means and how it’s going to impact them the rest of the season.”
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