The 17th-ranked Virginia volleyball team looks to extend its 16-game winning streak when conference play begins against Wake Forest tonight at 7 p.m. in Memorial Gym.
Given their perfect 16-0 record -- the longest in school history -- the team is excited to start their ACC schedule.
"We've had a great four weeks of pre-conference play, but it will be nice to get into conference play and start playing matches with some weight," coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton said.
The Demon Deacons (10-2), who won both games against Virginia last year, will pose some new challenges to the Cavaliers.
"Wake is a strong team -- they don't make mistakes," Shelton said. "They're the best serving team we've seen, so our passing in the game will have to be up to its capability."
The team continues ACC play with Duke tomorrow at 1 p.m. Last year the Cavaliers dropped bothgames to the Blue Devils by scores of 3-1 and 3-0.
"Duke doesn't have the same kind of record as Wake Forest, but they are a very athletic team and they have a lot of confidence from their past success," Shelton said.
Although the team's undefeated record has come with new hype, the Cavaliers feel they can handle the extra pressure.
"We all have high expectations now for the season," junior middle Alexis Geocaris said. "We're still seeded eighth [in the ACC], and if there's any pressure, it's coming from ourselves."
The non-conference games served as more than just tallies in the win column.They have also prepped the team for ACC play.
"I think we're definitely prepared," Shelton said. "You couldn't ask for a better schedule. We've been able to get on the court and fine tune things, and our freshmen have gotten a lot of matches under their belt."
The team has been on a tear recently, winning four tournaments and all of their matches except one by at least a two-set margin. The team won all four games in last weekend's National Invitation Tournament at Davidson by a 3-0 margin.
Geocaris claims the biggest difference from last year -- when the team was 9-25 -- is team chemistry.
"There's a completely different energy and everyone's enjoying it more," she said. "You see a lot more smiles on the court."
Geocaris, named tournament MVP, excelled in the tournament's last game with 13 kills, five digs, three blocks, and .440 hitting percentage versus Davidson.
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