Oct. 21, 2004
After finishing the first half of its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule with a perfect 8-0 record, the Georgia Tech volleyball team (14-5, 8-0 ACC) travels to North Carolina for two matches this weekend. Friday, the Jackets will face NC State (10-12, 0-8 ACC) at 7 p.m. in Reynolds Coliseum and Saturday will take on North Carolina (11-10, 6-3 ACC) in Carmichael Auditorium at 7 p.m.
Friday’s match marks the 37th meeting between the Wolfpack and the Jackets, with Tech holding the edge, 25-11. Tech defeated NC State their earlier contest this year, 3-0, and has now won the last 10 matches against the Wolfpack and also 25 of the last 27 meetings.
“In our match against NC State earlier this season, we had some good offensive performances from several people, including Lynnette Moster and Lauren Sauer, which was great to see,” said head coach Bond Shymansky, who now has a 42-5 in ACC contests. “Our focus in this matchup will be to run our offense at a high level, but also try to contain Melanie Rowe, who had a very good match against us, and is a key part to NC State’s offense. NC State is a much better team this season and I’m sure playing on their home court will give them an added edge.”
Saturday, the Yellow Jackets will travel to Chapel Hill and take on the Tar Heels at 7 p.m. in a match that marks the 41st contest between the two schools. Although North Carolina leads the series, 25-15, Tech defeated the Tar Heels in their match in O’Keefe Gymnasium earlier this year, and has now won six of the past 10 meetings.
Fans may follow Saturday’s match by tuning into WREK radio at 91.1 FM, or by internet at www.wrek.org. In addition, the game will also be available on gametracker at www.ramblinwreck.com.
“Our match at North Carolina is always a very exciting match,” said Shymansky. “They always have a great crowd and it’s a fun atmosphere for our team to play in. North Carolina has lost a few matches in the past week, so I’m sure they will be extra motivated this weekend to make a statement and will play very well against us.”
The Yellow Jackets have been led by several players this year including Lynnette Moster, who leads the team with 5.33 kills per game, which is ranked 14th in the nation and Lindsey Laband who leads the team with 14.97 assists per game, which is ranked 2nd in the nation. In addition, Jayme Gergen leads the team in hitting percentage (.402), which is ranked 15th in the nation.
“I’m pleased with where we are as a team right now, but also know that there is still room for improvement,” said Shymansky. “We played well through the first half of our ACC schedule, but it’s just as important to continue to have the drive and motivation to play well the second half so that we are ready when we reach the ACC Tournament.”
