Sept. 26, 2003
After defeating NC State Tuesday night, the No. 5 Georgia Tech volleyball team makes a return trip to Tobacco Road this week as the team travels to take on North Carolina Sunday at 1 p.m. in Carmichael Auditorium. The Jackets enter the match with a 12-0 record, 1-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference while the Tar Heels stand at 9-4, 1-0 ACC. The match will be carried on WREK radio (91.1 FM) with live audio streaming provided at www.wrek.org.
Georgia Tech is off to its best start since the 1996 season and is one of only six undefeated Division I teams in 2003.
The Tar Heels hold a 25-12 record against Tech and enter the match on a two-match win streak having swept Tech last season. Since the 2000 season the matches have been exciting as in the last six matches, five have gone to the fifth game, with the Tar Heels winning three of them. The last time Tech defeat North Carolina in Chapel Hill was during the 1997 season.
Having graduated four starters from last year’s team that went 32-4, North Carolina is led this year by all-ACC performer Molly Pyles who leads the team in kills per game (3.66) and is second on the team in digs per game (2.27). In addition, Aletha Green is first on the team in hitting percentage (.363) and blocks per game (1.21).
“North Carolina’s team is different this year because they graduated so many, but the rivalry is still the same,” said head coach Bond Shymansky, who in four years with the Jackets has never defeated the Tar Heels. “It doesn’t matter who is on their team, what the rankings are, or where we play, almost every match has gone five games with them and has gone down to the last point and I don’t imagine that it will be any different this weekend.”
The Yellow Jackets have been led by several players this year including Lauren Sauer and Lynnette Moster, who lead the team with 4.43 and 4.38 kills per game respectively. In addition, Alexandra Preiss leads the team in blocks per game (1.05) and is second on the team in hitting percentage (.395) while Marisa Aston leads the team in digs per game (3.15). Kele Eveland is running an offense which is averagaing 17.90 kills per game and 16.62 assists per game.
“This is certainly a big match but we will have the same approach with this match as we do with every match and that is to keep our focus on us and control what we do with the ball on our side of the net,” said Shymansky.
