What Happened?The team traveled to Clemson this Saturday where it lost the match-up 3-0. The win extends the Tigers’ (20-2, 13-0) ACC winning streak and keeps N.C. State (3-20, 0-13) winless in ACC play. With the loss, the Wolfpack pushed its ACC winless streak to 47 games, dating back to the 2005 season. Sophomore Chrissy Zirpolo led the team with nine digs, while freshman Alex Smith had 24 assists. State dropped all three games by a combined score of 90-53.
Who’s Hot?Senior Ashley Wallace has been a defensive presence, with 19 blocks on the season. This total more than doubles the number of blocks recorded by any other player. Coach Charita Stubbs said freshman Nikki Sweet has provided the team with depth.
“She leads the team in digs at this point, which says a lot for someone who only plays through the rotation,” Stubbs said. “She’s a very good defender.”
Who’s Not? State’s offensive woes were apparent in the series against Clemson, as the Tigers out-hit the Pack .350 to .115. State has struggled with serving all season, averaging only 1.30 service aces per game. The Pack has mustered 108 aces, as compared to 173 by its opponents.
What’s Next? The team will travel to North Carolina today, looking to record its first ACC win of the season. The contest is slated for 7 p.m. Senior Kasey Rhyne said the team has improved since its last match-up against the Tar Heels.
“We are definitely a lot better this time around,” she said. “It’s going to be a different second half of the season.”
-Senior Staff Writer Fidelis Lusompa contributed to this story
