After this season's disappointing start, the Virginia women's volleyball team opens ACC play this weekend as they host bitter rival Clemson today, followed by No. 25 Georgia Tech tomorrow at University Hall.
Lacking a solid setter on the squad, the Cavaliers have had a rough first month of the season, winning only six of their first 15 games.
"We're still trying to play without a setter, which is like a football team playing without a quarterback," Virginia Coach Melissa Shelton said. "Other teams know how to prepare for us."
The team remains optimistic and is seeing steady improvement, especially in last weekend's Dayton Flyer Classic, where they placed third.
"A lot of people really stepped up. We played a lot more consistently," junior libero Whitney Ashcraft said. "I know [the results] might not reflect it, but we are getting better."
Right now the Cavaliers are working on plugging the holes in their defense and developing a competitive offense, as they prepare to face Georgia Tech, one of the strongest teams in the ACC.
"We are getting our blocking ready to take on some of the best hitters in the country," Shelton said. "We are trying to upgrade our offense as well."
In this weekend's two-game set, the Cavaliers will turn to junior Whitney Ashcraft to provide solid defense and overall team leadership. Ashcraft ranks 25th in the nation in digs per game with an average of 4.28. "She is performing at top levels in the nation as a libero," Shelton said. "She is our emotional leader."
Before taking the head coaching position at Virginia eight years ago, Shelton served as an assistant coach under current Clemson head coach Jolene Hoover. Of course, this situation makes for a classic rivalry.
"It's a big match for me," Shelton said. "I really enjoyed my time there, and it's always fun to play your old boss. It's a special rivalry."
Virginia was swept by both teams last season, but sheer emotion can take a team a long way.
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