[caption id="attachment_35943" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Freshman outside hitter McKenzie Adams led Virginia with 14 kills against Virginia Tech.
After four straight losses, the Virginia volleyball team hopes to rebound this weekend as it returns home to host the Marriott Cavalier Classic. The Cavaliers (5-4) are coming off a West Coast trip that handed them three losses in three days.
After incurring its first loss of the season last weekend, the Virginia volleyball team travels to the West Coast for a three-game stint in California against multiple ranked teams. "For us to be able to be one of the best teams in the nation, our goal is to play some of the best teams in the country," coach Lee Maes said. The Cavaliers fell to George Washington Saturday in five sets, losing the fifth 15-9 after dominating the third and fourth, 25-10 and 25-12. "I feel like our loss Saturday really had to attribute to our mentality and how we approached the match," junior outside hitter Simone Asque said. Maes chalked up the loss to inexperience - typical for a young team that had compiled a series of wins. Asque, named to the Jefferson Cup All-Tournament Team, likely will lead the Cavaliers as they attempt to take down three top-25 teams. "I know that we expect to play well - but can we play well over the course of three days, every single point?
The Virginia volleyball team's five-game win streak - its best season start since 2003 - came to an end Saturday when it could not contain a late fifth-set rally by George Washington in the Holiday Inn Jefferson Cup. Although the Cavaliers (5-1) ultimately won the cup, their last-minute efforts against the Colonials (4-2) came up short, giving them their first loss of the season. "Our team was a little complacent, expecting that it was going to be an easy match," coach Lee Maes said. Saturday's game started off in somewhat unusual fashion for Virginia, which had swept both North Florida (0-6)and Liberty (4-2) Friday.
[caption id="attachment_35241" align="alignleft" width="160" caption="Junior outside hitter Simone Asque notched her first-ever 30-kill game last weekend and was named to the Temple Invitational All-Tournament team.
After bringing in the first nationally ranked recruiting classes in program history - No. 15 in 2009 and an even more impressive No.
The Virginia volleyball team opened its season with a 3-0 sweep at the Temple Invitational in Philadelphia this past weekend. Friday, the Cavaliers beat Valparaiso 3-1 to start the weekend.
The Virginia volleyball team will kick off its season this weekend when the squad travels to Philadelphia to take part in the Temple Invitational.
With more than one-third of the Virginia volleyball lineup new to Grounds, coach Lee Maes has clearly had a busy preseason. "Preseason's been great," Maes said.
[caption id="attachment_32190" align="alignleft" width="207" caption="Senior libero Brittani Rendina will try to support Virginia's defense against the Hokies in Blacksburg on Wednesday.
[caption id="attachment_32027" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Senior outside hitter Lauren Dickson was one of three Cavaliers honored before the squad's final home match of the year.
[caption id="attachment_31872" align="alignleft" width="213" caption=""I want nothing more than to beat Duke for our seniors," junior defensive specialist A.J.
[caption id="attachment_31508" align="alignleft" width="204" caption="Senior libero Brittani Rendina led Virginia with 34 digs against Miami - the second-highest match total of her career.
[caption id="attachment_31459" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Sophomore outside hitter Simone Asque was named ACC Player of the Week after matching her career-high 27 kills while adding a season-best 16 digs against Boston College last weekend.
Hoping to turn its season around after a two-loss weekend, the Virginia women's volleyball team travels this weekend to College Park, Md.
The Virginia volleyball team rounded out another weekend of conference play with two losses to Clemson Friday night and Georgia Tech Saturday. Perhaps a rash of injuries that held back three of the team's most important players can partially explain Virginia's (7-13, 2-7 ACC) latest losses. "We already had two girls who we knew weren't going to be playing in the beginning, and then Lauren [Dickson]'s injury happened on Tuesday," sophomore middle hitter Tess Udall said. Practicing with a new lineup less than a week before the weekend proved difficult for the Cavaliers.
Hoping to improve its disappointing conference record, the Virginia women's volleyball team hosts Clemson and Georgia Tech in Charlottesville this weekend, rounding out a four-game homestand at Memorial Gym. As inconsistent play haunts Virginia (7-11, 2-5 ACC), playing at its home court will hopefully give the team momentum. "It's actually unreal the amount of adversity our team's had to deal with this year," senior defensive specialist Brittani Rendina said.
Although the Virginia volleyball team may be struggling to find consistency in execution, focus and effort, one aspect of the program that will never falter is Memorial Gymnasium. The Cavaliers played on their beloved home court from 1979 until 1998, when renovations began because of a hefty $1.5 million donation.
[caption id="attachment_30863" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sophomore outside hitter Simone Asque totaled 22 kills in the two weekend matches.
[caption id="attachment_30792" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Senior libero Brittani Rendina ranks third on the Cavaliers in digs with 140 this season.
