Oct. 6, 2011
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
The Maryland volleyball team continues its ACC season this weekend against Georgia Tech and Clemson. The Terps (9-8, 3-2 ACC) will travel to Atlanta to meet the Yellow Jackets Friday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m., before heading to Clemson to take on the Tigers Saturday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.
The Terps enter the weekend in a tie for fourth place in the conference with Clemson following a tough five-set loss to Virginia Tech and a come-from-behind victory over Virginia in which several Terps set career marks.
Junior Remy McBain recorded her third career triple-double against the Cavaliers while setting career highs in kills (11) and digs (21). The Leonia, N.J., native finished with 101 digs in the two matches and now stands 11 assists shy of passing Libby Alberts for fifth all-time at Maryland with 2,096 assists.
For the season, McBain leads the ACC in assists with 643 and is averaging 9.74 per set which is good for sixth in the conference, and tallied nine service aces the most in the ACC.
Sophomore Mary Cushman finished with 18 kills and a career-high 14 digs in the victory over Virginia. It was the first double-double of her career. Cushman leads the Terps in kills (199) and has registered double-digit kills in five of her last six matches. The Rochester, N.Y., native is averaging 3.42 per set in conference play, which ranks seventh in the ACC.
Ten different Terps have recorded a dig in the last three matches led by sophomore Sarah Harper. Harper's 293 digs is the most in the conference while sophomore Caroline Niski (153), freshmen Ashleigh Crutcher (153) and Katie Kelley (144), and McBain (141) all have over 100 for the Terrapins.
Maryland is 26-25 all-time against Georgia Tech having won the lone meeting in 2010 in Atlanta. The Terps have lost the last nine matches with Clemson and are 27-33 all-time against the Tigers.
Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets enter Friday night's match 10th in the ACC following back-to-back conference losses to NC State and North Carolina. In ACC play, Tonya Johnson's team is 12th in hitting percentage (.169) while allowing opponents to convert 25 percent of their attack opportunities.
Monique Mead leads the Yellow Jackets and conference in kills (285). The Newnan, Ga., native is averaging 5.09 per set and has more than double the amount of attack attempts than the second-highest Yellow Jacket, Jennifer Percy.
Ali Santi is the Yellow Jackets primary setter. In conference play, Santi is averaging 11 per set, third best in the ACC.
Defensively, Asia Stawicka protects the net averaging 1.22 blocks per set in conference play, and Nicki Meyer averages 4.39 digs.
Clemson
Clemson split last weekend's slate against North Carolina and NC State. The Tigers dropped a five-set match against the Tar Heels Friday night, but bounced back to beat the Wolfpack in five sets Saturday. Jolene Jordan Hoover's squad has won seven of their last nine matches entering the weekend.
In ACC play, the Tigers have displayed a strong offense and a stout defense. Clemson is fourth in the conference in hitting percentage (.228) while holding its opponents to a .182 hitting percentage, good for third in the ACC. The Tigers are fifth in the ACC in kills and assists averaging 13.41 kills per set and 12.82 assists, respectively.
With five players averaging more than two kills per set, Clemson can attack from anywhere on the floor. Sandra Adeleye leads the Tigers in kills (189) while Alexa Rand is tops in the conference with a .400 hitting percentage.
As a team in conference play, Clemson leads the ACC in blocks averaging 3.14 per set. The Tigers have two of the best blockers in the conference, Rand leads the ACC with 37 total blocks through five conference matches while Moneshia Simmons is seventh in the ACC with 1.09 per set.
