From Labor Day to fall break represented a month-long gap for University of Virginia students. It probably seemed even longer to the volleyball team, though.
The Cavaliers spent three consecutive weekends on trips to Alabama, Washington D.C., and North Carolina. The travel typically spanned from Thursday to Sunday, making the schedule “a little bit of a grind” according to coach Dennis Hohenshelt. So while many UVa students have flocked away from Grounds for fall break, Hohenshelt’s Hoos are happy to be home again. Virginia plays its first ACC home matches of the season when it welcomes Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., respectively.
The match with the Hokies kicks off this year’s Commonwealth Clash, the all-sports rivalry series between the two in-state schools. UVa dominated last season’s competition, 15-7. The volleyball teams split for .5 points each.
“You find this out pretty quick, no matter what’s at stake any time you play Virginia Tech, it’s important,” Hohenshelt said. “Not just to the players, but to everyone on Grounds and everyone in the community. I think last year we might have been the first or second match in the Commonwealth Clash when we won down there. In this whole process of the Commonwealth Clash, I think it’s important – we want to get UVa off to a good start. It’s a big match.”
Both opponents should offer some tough competition this weekend. Pittsburgh enters the Friday night match at 12-3 and 2-1 in the ACC. The Panthers lost at Virginia Tech on Wednesday night to snap a five-game winning streak. They lead the ACC with 14.57 kills per set. The Hokies come to town Saturday with an 11-4 record overall and 2-1 in the ACC. VT challenges teams at the net on both sides, ranking fourth in the ACC in both hitting percentage (.258) and hitting percentage allowed (.165).
Virginia, meanwhile, enters the weekend at 9-4 and 1-1 in the ACC. The Hoos had won four straight matches, including the end of a 17-match losing streak against Duke, before falling 3-2 at Wake Forest last Saturday.
The Saturday setback after Friday’s big win in Durham highlighted one of the program’s biggest challenges right now. The Cavaliers have to learn how to follow up success with more success. They notched a big win against Iowa State earlier this season and then lost to St. Louis in the next match. The same pattern showed up in the Duke-Wake scenario and early last season as well when a 6-0 start, the best since 2003, suddenly flipped to a four-match losing streak.
“I think we’re still in the process of learning how to deal with success a little bit and how we react to success,” Hohenshelt said. “That’s OK. That’s a big process for any program that’s trying to become successful. … How do you deal with it, how do you become now a person that everyone looks at as a contender? I think we’re almost at that doorstep. I think the girls have a great handle on what we’re trying to accomplish. I’m pleased with their work ethic and I’m pleased with their attention to details when it comes to getting better at things.”
The Cavaliers are focused on maintaining in-match momentum during practices to help take that next step.
“We can’t be in control of matches for the first two-thirds of the match and then just give up things,” Hohenshelt said. “That’s what we’re focusing on. … That’s what we’re trying to eliminate a little bit in practice right now. Putting them in ‘you’re up 16-14, but if you make a hitting error, it’s minus three points.’ There are ways we can try to train that a little bit so we’re trying to do that. I have to figure out how to get them better in those situations and hopefully we’re learning from it.”
The good news is that the team is regularly putting itself in position to win sets and matches, regardless of the opponent. UVa is tied with Florida State for first in the ACC in hitting percentage (.264). The Hoos also rank third in aces.
Senior Natalie Bausback earned all-tournament recognition at three events this fall and freshman Anna Walsh has been named the ACC Freshman of the Week three times. Those two are among several Cavaliers playing well as conference play heats up in October.
“I really think that we’re a pretty good volleyball team right now,” Hohenshelt said. “I think we’re at that point right now where we know what our strengths are and we try to tweak those a little bit to be better. I think we have very few weaknesses, but we know what they are. I’m pretty happy with this group.”
