Volleyball Gameday: Deacons Host No. 5 Pitt and Virginia

Friday, October 26

Winston-Salem, N.C.

5:30 P.M.

Wake Forest University

Pittsburgh

Volleyball Gameday: Deacons Host No. 5 Pitt and Virginia

10/25/2018 5:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

By: Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeVolleyball)

Gameday Central \| Wake Forest vs. No. 5 Pitt and Virginia
Games 23 & 24	vs. No. 5 Pitt- Friday, Oct. 26, 5:30 p.m. vs. Virginia- Sunday, Oct. 28, 1 p.m.
Coverage	vs. Pitt- Live Stats \| ACC Network Extra vs. Virginia- Live Stats
Location	Winston-Salem, N.C. (Reynolds Gym)
Information	Wake Forest Notes \| @Wake Volleyball

THE MATCHUP
• ACC play continues for Wake Forest volleyball as the Deacons welcome the fifth-ranked and undefeated Pittsburgh Panthers to Reynolds Gym on Friday and Virginia on Sunday.
• Friday's match is set for 5:30 p.m. and Sunday' s match against the Cavs is slated for 1 p.m.
• Wake Forest vs. Pitt will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra with Zach Bigley and Jeremy Price on the call.

LAST TIME OUT
• The Deacons fell to Virginia Tech on the road in a hard-fought five setter. The Deacons are now 3-5 in five-set matches.
• Sophomore Myca Mitchell led the efforts for the Deacs with 17 kills, while sophomore setter Madeline Holt recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 39 assists and 11 digs.

QUICK HITS
• Head Coach Bill Ferguson returns for his third season at the helm of the program.
• The Demon Deacons return 14 players from last year's squad, led by seniors Hailey Brooke McFadden and Katie Moore, and welcome five freshmen to the club.
• Junior Caroline Rassenfoss is the team's returning kill leader as she tallied 271 kills last season.
• 2018 will mark the first season for Wake Forest Volleyball in the newly renovated Reynolds Gymnasium. Reynolds has been home for the Deacons since 1971. The team spent the previous two seasons in the LJVM Coliseum while the renovations were underway.
• Sophomores lead the way in three categories- Madeline Holt with 796 assists, Olivia Saunders with 72 total blocks and Caroline Kuhn with 20 service aces.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
• No. 5 Pitt is one of two unbeaten teams in the country, behind No. 1 BYU.
• The Panthers own the longest active win streak in the nation at 22 matches.
• Outside hitter Stephanie Williams was named ACC Player of the Week after posting 3.57 kills per set and .317 percentage as Pitt defeated No. 21 Louisville and Notre Dame. Williams now ranks 10th in Pitt history with 1,089 career kills.
• The Panthers lead the ACC in assists per set (13.82), hitting percentage (.300), kills per set (14.65) and opponent hitting percentage (.161).
• Kayla Lund leads the squad with just under 300 kills this season.

SCOUTING THE CAVS
• Virginia makes the trip to Winston-Salem with a 6-14 overall record and a 2-8 mark in conference play.
• Sarah Billiard leads the Cavaliers with 290 kills on the season (3.72 k/s) and has added 52 digs, and 37 blocks.
• In conference play, Virginia has defeated North Carolina and Boston College.
• Virginia head coach Aaron Smith is in his second year at the helm of the program. Smith served on the coaching staff at Wake Forest in 2008.

LOOKING AHEAD
• The Deacons will make the short trip to Raleigh and Chapel Hill next weekend to face NC State on Friday and North Carolina on Sunday.