Last season the Virginia volleyball team got off to a spectacular start. The Cavaliers had a perfect 16-0 record heading into conference play. Then, in the squad's first ACC matchup, Wake Forest defeated the Cavaliers 3-1, snapping their winning streak.
The team is hoping for a slightly different result this year.
Tonight marks the opening of conference play for the 10-2 Cavaliers and once again Wake Forest will be the team's first opponent, followed by Duke on Sunday. Virginia's players said they are going into the weekend's games with a sense of excitement and anticipation.
"I cannot wait," freshman outside hitter Sarah Kirkwood said. "I can't wait to compete against [Wake Forest and Duke] and their teams. I really think we have a great shot at coming out with two wins."
Kirkwood should play a major role in how the volleyball team fares against ACC opposition. In her first collegiate season, she is leading the Cavaliers in several categories, including points, attacks, kills and serves. Fellow freshman libero/outside hitter Melissa Caldwell has been a strong defensive presence with 214 digs.
"We have new volleyball players coming in that just have great court sense and are really ready for [ACC play]," sophomore setter Emily Kirkwood said.
In addition to the performances of its skilled freshmen, the squad has been headed by the strong performance of senior Alexis Geocaris and sophomore Lindsay Osco.
The Virginia players say that the opposition they have faced so far this season will help them to improve on last season's 9-9 mark against ACC teams.
"Last year, our preseason schedule was not very strong," Emily Kirkwood said. "So I don't know if we were fully prepared for the skill level of the ACC. This year, I feel we're stronger in that sense."
The Cavaliers noted that earlier matches against Wisconsin and Louisville provided them with especially good preparation, despite the fact that they lost both games.
"Going up against teams like Louisville and Wisconsin, we came up short in both of those games, but it's nice to go against teams that are even better than ACC teams," Sarah Kirkwood said. "If we can play with them, we know we can compete with every single team."
The team faces the challenge of playing the first four games of its conference schedule on the road. Following this weekend's contests at Wake Forest and Duke, Virginia will travel to North Carolina and North Carolina State next week. Virginia's players should look forward to playing at home again, especially given their outstanding 6-0 record at Memorial Gym.
"Home court advantage is always great," Sarah Kirkwood said.
The volleyball team's first ACC home game will be against conference newcomer Miami on Oct. 8.
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