Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Hosts North Carolina and NC State
11/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 13, 2007
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest is set to play its final two home matches of the season this week, hosting in-state rivals North Carolina and NC State. The Demon Deacons will take on the Tar Heels on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and the Wolfpack Friday at 7 p.m.
Both matches will be broadcast live on ACC Select.
Wednesday is Pig Pickin's Night. The first 100 fans will get a coupon for a free barbeque sandwich at Pig Pickin's. Friday is Senior Night. Wake Forest will honor senior outside hitter Michael Faulkner before the match.
The Deacons enter the week at 7-20 overall and 4-14 in the ACC. Wake is coming off a pair of three-game losses at Clemson and Georgia Tech last week.
A number of Deacons continue to rank among the league leaders late in the season. Junior Natalie Mullikin is in the top 10 in the ACC in four categories. She is fifth in points (4.80 per game), sixth in hitting percentage (.329), sixth in kills (3.98) and ninth in blocks (1.21).
Freshmen Kelsey Jones, Lauren McIntyre and Megan Thornberry rank among the league leaders as well. Jones is seventh in assists (10.60), McIntyre is 10th in blocks (1.17) and Thornberry is 10th in digs (4.03).
North Carolina comes in at 14-13 overall and 10-8 in the ACC. The Tar Heels have won five straight matches, dating back to Oct. 30. All five of the wins have been sweeps. UNC is 4-5 on the road this year, including a 3-4 mark in conference play.
The Tar Heels defeated the Deacons earlier in the season, earning a sweep on Oct. 4 in Chapel Hill.
Wednesday will be the 46th all-time meeting between Wake Forest and North Carolina. The Tar Heels hold a 33-12 advantage in the series, but the Deacons have won two of the last three. Last season, Wake earned a four-game win in Chapel Hill and then posted a five-game comeback win in Winston-Salem. Prior to 2006, UNC had won six of seven meetings since 2002.
NC State will enter the weekend with a record of 3-25 overall and 0-18 in the ACC. The Wolfpack have dropped 24 straight matches after opening the season 3-1. NCSU has yet to win a road match in nine tries this year.
Wake Forest swept NC State earlier this season on Oct. 6. The Deacons won the third game of the match, 30-9.
Saturday will be the 41st all-time meeting between Wake Forest and NC State. The Deacons hold a slight 21-19 margin over the Wolfpack. However, Wake has won each of the last 18 matches dating back to 1998. NC State has not taken a single game from the Deacs since 2002. Over the 18-match winning streak, Wake Forest has swept NCSU 14 times.
The Deacons will wrap up the 2007 campaign with a pair of road matches around the Thanksgiving holiday next week. Wake will travel to Virginia Tech on Wednesday, Nov. 21, and Virginia on Friday.
