The Virginia volleyball team will host its first tournament of the season this Friday, as Virginia Commonwealth, North Carolina Central and Campbell all will pay a visit to Memorial Gymnasium to compete for the Holiday Inn Jefferson Cup.\nThe Cavaliers are coming off a tough weekend in College Station, Texas, where the squad went 1-2 at the Texas A&M Tournament.\n"Last weekend, we didn't exactly apply everything that we've been learning in practice," senior libero Brittani Rendina said. "It was kind of frustrating,"\nDo not expect a sluggish Virginia to show up to its 1 p.m. match against North Carolina Central Friday, however.\n"We've been talking about what we need to work on this week," freshman setter Rachel Gray said. "We're just going put it all out on the court. I think we're going to be ready.\nNorth Carolina Central, which ended its 2008 season with a 7-28 record, will face a Cavalier team looking to strengthen both its passing on offense and defensive blocking techniques.\n"We feel like offensively, if we pass the ball consistently enough, we're going to be competitive," coach Lee Maes said. "We're going be very difficult to stop."\nAfter a 4-0 weekend - its best start since 2000 - during which the Rams captured the VCU/Third Degree Sportswear Invitational, VCU should provide the competition needed to challenge the Cavaliers.\n"[Last weekend,] we improved as the tournament went on," Maes said, noting that she expects her squad to perform at an even higher level against this weekend's competition.\nThe Rams boast the CAA Offensive Player of the Week, junior outside hitter Mariel Frey, who tallied 3.76 kills per set last weekend. Frey was just as impressive defensively, notching 2.53 digs per set. Meanwhile, VCU's 6-foot-5, junior middle hitter Kelsie Clegg was named tournament MVP after recording 1.38 blocks per set and a hitting average of .408.\nVirginia will round out its Jefferson Cup play Saturday against Campbell, a team which also has experienced early success after sweeping the N.C. State Hilton RTP Classic last weekend. The Camels boast their own conference Player of the Week, as senior middle blocker Ashley Weers' 12 kills and 39 blocks this weekend garnered her the Atlantic Sun accolade.\nThough High Point delivered Campbell its first loss of the season during a five-set marathon match Tuesday, junior outside hitter Emily Werner was a bright spot for the Camels, tallying 18 kills and 19 digs.\nTo prepare for its demanding slate of opponents, Virginia has been working all week to execute everything it learned in preseason training.\n"It's frustrating when you don't get the points you know you deserve," Rendina said.\nThe Cavaliers are still searching for the consistency they lacked last season, continuing to struggle when deciding which lineup will maximize success.\n"There's a lot of variables," Maes said. "When you try to put it all together, it needs to be a lot more in-sync."\nWith that - and last weekend's results - in mind, co-captain Rendina said the team's goal is to go undefeated this weekend.\n"We're feeling really pumped up," Gray said.
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