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Tech set to hosts Hokie Invitational
Hokies will compete against ETSU and Radford
September 14, 2017
BLACKSBURG – For the first time since Nov. 13, 2016, Virginia Tech’s volleyball team will be playing in front of its home crowd at the Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum as it hosts the Hokie Invitational sponsored by the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Christiansburg.
Tech (6-3) will clash against Radford at 7 p.m. ET on Friday and will conclude the three-team tournament on Saturday versus East Tennessee State at 2 p.m. Friday's battle with the Highlanders will be the first home match of the Jill Wilson era.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Fri. | 2 p.m. ET ETSU vs. Radford | Stats
Fri. | 7 p.m. ET vs. Radford | Stats | Stream
Sat. | 2 p.m. ET vs. ETSU | Stats | Stream
Both of Tech’s two matches against Radford and ETSU will be streamed live online. HokieVision Live will cover Friday's match and ACC Network Extra will produce Saturday's. You can watch the action on your computer or on your phone via the WatchESPN app.
The last time out the Hokies went 1-2 at the Thunder Invite hosted by Marshall. Tech got swept by the Thundering Herd and undefeated Maryland, but pulled out a win over Toledo, 3-1, behind freshman Kaity Smith, who had a double-double (17 kills, 12 digs) and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Tech currently sits atop the ACC and 28th in the country in hitting percentage, owning a mark of .270. Junior Jaila Tolbert has the best hitting percentage on the team with a .376 clip, which is the fourth-best percentage in the conference.
Redshirt junior Rhegan Mitchell is third in the ACC in assists per set (10.45) and has the most assists in the conference with 345.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
EAST TENNESSEE STATE
• The Buccaneers enter the weekend with a 3-6 record after competing at the Holiday Inn – University Plaza Invitational in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on Sept. 8-9, hosted by RV WKU. ETSU dropped two matches to the Lady Toppers and Pitt, but defeated Saint Louis in five sets.
• Head coach Lindsey Devine’s squad is led by outside hitter Rylee Milhorn, who boasts a team-high 107 kills. Milhorn was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Volleyball Player of the Week on Tuesday after racking up 44 kills and 32 digs in the Bucs’ three matches.
• Virginia Tech has a 19-5 advantage in the all-time series, and the most recent matchup between the two schools was on Aug. 28, 2015, inside Cassell Coliseum when Tech won 3-0. The two teams have only played each other four times since 2000.
RADFORD
• Radford, which owns the best record of any team in the tournament, comes in with an 8-1 record after a 2-1 weekend at the Carolina Classic in Columbia, South Carolina, hosted by South Carolina. The Highlanders lost their first match to Miami (OH), 3-0, but rebounded winning their next two versus Eastern Kentucky and the Gamecocks to claim the tournament.
• For the third time this season, senior Maddie Palmer earned Offensive Big South Player of the Week. The outside hitter recorded 48 kills and 32 digs at the Carolina Classic.
• The Highlanders are coached by Marci Jenkins, who enters her 10th season in the New River Valley. She has earned Big South Coach of the Year four times.
• With Virginia Tech and Radford only being 13 miles away, the two teams have played each other 34 times. The Hokies lead the all-time series 28-6 and have won the last four matches in a row.
For updates on Virginia Tech volleyball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_VBall
and on Instagram @vthokievolleyball
