Volleyball Begins Four-Game Homestand with Boston College, Syracuse
11/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Match Notes | Live Stats/Video
PITTSBURGH -The University of Pittsburgh volleyball team will look to remain undefeated at the Fitzgerald Field House, as they are set to host Boston College on Friday and Syracuse on Sunday.
The Panthers [21-7, 11-5 ACC] will take on the Boston College Eagles [11-17, 3-13 ACC] on Friday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. The Panthers will continue play on Sunday, Nov. 22 against the Orange [20-7, 11-5 ACC]. Sunday's match is set to begin at 1 p.m.
Pitt is familiar with both BC and 'Cuse as the Panthers defeated both the Eagles [3-0] and Orange [3-1] earlier this season on the road.
LAST TIME OUT
The Panthers were swept by No. 25 North Carolina on Friday of last week, but bounced back to take a five-set thriller at NC State.
GAINING GROUND
Following last weekend's matches against the Tar Heels and Wolfpack, Pitt finds themselves ranked 40th in the RPI. The Panthers are tied with Syracuse [20-7, 11-5] and Miami [18-8, 11-5] for the No. 4 spot in the ACC, but Pitt has the upper hand with an overall record of 21-7.
A PLACE OF PERFECTION
Pitt is currently undefeated at the Fitzgerald Field House, the Panthers home court. The squad has won 11 straight matches at home and will conclude its season with a four-game homestand.
AN ACE AWAY
Senior Jenna Jacobson is an ace away from etching her name in the record book under career aces. Jacobson currently has 109 total aces through her career.
STATISICALLY SOUND
Pitt continues to hold a place at the top of the ACC leaderboards and remains among both team and individual NCAA category leaders. See a snapshot below of where Pitt sits in the top five of the ACC and top 25 of the NCAA.
ACC Statistics
1. Assists [13.83/set]
3. Kills [14.48/set]
4. Opponent Hitting % [.176]
4. Blocks [2.67/set]
5. Digs [15.75/set]
Individual Ranks
2. Orchard [.396 hitting %]
5. Seman [4.55 digs/set]
Overall in the NCAA
5. Assists [13.83/set]
Individual Ranks
29. Orchard [.396 hitting %]
A THREAT AT THE NET
Throughout the season, senior middle hitter Amanda Orchard has led the Panthers' attack game. Orchard has registered 234 kills and boasts a .396 attack percentage this season. This average places her 29th in the nation and second in the ACC.
KADI KILLERKANN
It's no secret that graduate transfer Kadi Kullerkann is an offensive threat for the Panthers. The outside hitter leads the team in kills (383) and kills per set (3.75).
Continuing her streak, Kullerkann has now reached double-digit kills in 18 consecutive matches. The streak has increased her total to 26 for the season. Kadi has recorded double-digit kills in all but two matches this season.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Boston College
Boston College enters the weekend having lost their previous three matches to North Carolina, Wake Forest and Duke. The Eagles currently rank 13th in the ACC with a record of 3-13. BC is led by senior Katty Workman, who leads the team with 3.93 kills per set, good for second in the ACC. Sophomore Brittany Pavich ranks fifth in the conference with a .377 hitting percentage.
Syracuse
Syracuse is currently tied with Pitt for the No. 4 spot in the ACC, though the Panthers have the upper hand with a better overall record. The Orange enters the weekend having won their past three matches against NC State, Duke and Wake Forest. They will take on Virginia Tech Friday evening before matching up against Pitt on Sunday.
#H2P
Be sure to follow the Pitt volleyball team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the squad. Live, in-game updates will be available through the team's Twitter account, @PittVolleyball.
