COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland volleyball team returns home to Comcast Pavilion after two weekends away with a pair of matches against Atlantic Coast Conference foes North Carolina and NC State this weekend.

The weekend's proceedings begin at 7 p.m. Friday against North Carolina and continue at 5 p.m. Saturday against NC State.

The matches against the Tar Heels (5-7, 1-2) and Wolfpack (3-10, 0-3) mark the first conference home matches of the season for the Terps. Of Maryland's first 12 matches, only three have been at home. The Terrapins (8-4, 0-3) won all three of those matches three weekends ago against James Madison, New Hampshire and Temple to win the Hilton Garden Inn Greenbelt Invitational.

North Carolina presents an interesting challenge Friday, as the Tar Heels and the Terps match up similarly in several statistical categories. Both the Terps and Heels have thrived defensively early on, particularly as far as blocking is concerned. The Terps lead the ACC in blocking at 164.5 and 3.43 a game. The Heels are third at 3.08 blocks a game.

Maryland senior middle blocker/outside hitter Jade Brown (Atlanta, Ga.) is the premier blocker in the ACC, leading the conference with 76 total blocks and 1.73 a game. North Carolina sophomore Heather Brooks is third in the league with 1.51 blocks per game.

In addition to both teams' blocking prowess, both squads have players in the ACC's top 10 in digs. Carolina's Brianna Eskola is third in the league with 5.45 a game, while Maryland senior outside hitter Beth Gillming (Cincinnati, Ohio) is 10th with 3.77 a game.

Thanks to those defenses, opponents have had trouble scoring on both Maryland and North Carolina. The Terps lead the ACC in opponent hitting percentage at .145 while the Heels have held opponents to .194 hitting.

Maryland and North Carolina have split the last eight meetings in the season series and the Tar Heels lead the all-time series 30-21. Maryland has not lost at home to Carolina since 2002.

History says the Terps should be in good shape against the Wolfpack on Saturday. Maryland has won the last 10 meetings and State has not won in College Park since 1988.

NC State, which is winless in the conference entering the weekend, ranks no higher than eighth in the ACC in any statistical categories. However, freshman setter Alex Smith ranks 10th in the conference in assists at 8.29 a game.

-TERPS-