Oct. 13, 2011

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland volleyball team makes its first trip to North Carolina this weekend to face Wake Forest Friday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m., and Duke, the defending ACC champions, Saturday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. The Terps (9-10, 3-4 ACC) are looking to rebound following three straight conference losses, including a back-and-forth five-set match against Clemson this past Saturday.

Sophomore Mary Cushman has 67 kills in the last five matches and this season is averaging 2.97 per set to lead the Terps attack. Freshman Ashleigh Crutcher had 28 kills against Georgia Tech and Clemson, and is coming off her sixth double-double of the season against the Tigers.

With 80 assists over the weekend, junior Remy McBain moved into fifth all-time at Maryland with 2,165 assists. McBain is averaging 9.36 assists per set in conference play, seventh best in the ACC, and her 11 service aces is tied for the lead.

Six different Terrapins have recorded double-digit digs in the last four matches led by sophomore Sarah Harper. Harper is sixth in the ACC with 4.24 per set. Five other Terps have over 100 digs including sophomore Caroline Niski (173) and Crutcher (171).

The Terps are 23-16 all-time against the Demon Deacons including victories in both matches in 2010. Against the Blue Devils, Maryland is 25-39 all-time. Duke has won eight of the past nine meetings with the Terps winning the most recent matchup (11/14/10).

Wake Forest

Heather Kahl Holmes' squad enters Friday's match losers of seven straight games including six ACC matches. The Demon Deacons are seventh in conference play in hitting percentage (.208) and 11th in opponent hitting percentage (.260). On average, Wake Forest totals 12.62 kills per set, eighth in the ACC, and defensively is averaging 14.83 digs per set which ranks 10th in the conference.

Middle blocker Carlin Salmon is fifth in conference play converting 35 percent of her kills, while outside hitter Kadija Fornah's 111 kills is tops in the ACC.

Danea Rosendall is the primary setter for the Demon Deacons. The Hudsonville, Mich., native is averaging 9.83 assists per set, fifth best in the ACC.

Defensively, libero Dani Thompson leads the team in digs. Thompson has totaled 218 this season and is averaging 4.48 in conference play.

Duke

The defending ACC champions enter the weekend after two five-set victories over Virginia Tech and Virginia. Jolene Nagel's team in conference matches ranks third in kills per set (14.36) and is converting 22 percent of its attack opportunities. The Blue Devils are second in conference play with 17.21 digs per set and are holding opponents to 23 percent hitting.

The Blue Devils are led offensively by two middle blockers who rank in the top 10 in the conference in kills per set. Sophia Dunworth and Christina Gray rank seventh and 10th, respectively, with 155 kills between the two of them.

Setter Kellie Catanach leads the ACC with 321 assists through seven conference matches. The Tampa., Fla., native is averaging 11.46 per set.

In conference play, libero Ali McCurdy leads the ACC with 5.64 digs per set, and her 337 total digs is tops in the league.