Volleyball faces a monumental weekend of games against back-to-back ACC heavyweights – The Cavalier Daily

Virginia volleyball has exploded onto the college volleyball scene this season and is currently on pace for its strongest record since 2003. Now deep into ACC play, the Cavaliers have already picked up impressive wins against No. 16 State of Florida, Miami And Syracuse. This week, however, Virginia faces arguably its two toughest opponents yet at home – No. 1 Pittsburgh and No. 12 Southern Methodist.

Over the course of this season, the Cavaliers fought for a gradual climb in the American Volleyball Coaches Association polls. Virginia has now received honorable mention votes outside the top 25 four weeks in a row. On the other hand, Pittsburgh has held the top spot in the AVCA rankings for eight weeks in a row.

The Panthers hold an impressive 19-1 record and a 9-1 record in the ACC. Not only have they regularly defeated opponents – including three in the top five – but they have also only lost seven sets in total in 2024. Nearly 85 percent of Pittsburgh's victories were sweeps.

Much of that success was led by Olivia Babcock, a sophomore outside hitter, and Rachel Fairbanks, a senior setter. Babcock was named AVCA National Player of the Week last week after a dominant performance in the Panthers' win over No. 5 Stanford, posting 17 kills and 10 blocks. Fairbanks has earned three ACC Setter of the Week honors this season, the most recent coming last week after Pittsburgh's wins over No. 3 Louisville and Notre Dame.

Virginia's Friday clash with the Panthers will be a game that will certainly require full focus and determination from the Cavaliers. A win would be their first against the Panthers since 2015 — not to mention Virginia's first win against a ranked opponent in program history.

To pull off a historic upset, the Cavaliers will need strong performances and elite composure from experienced players, including senior libero Milan Gomillion, senior outside hitter Elayna Duprey and senior outside hitter Brooklyn Borum. Coach Shannon Wells cited Virginia's totality Upper class as the key to success this season, and the Cavaliers will rely on them for success against Pittsburgh.

As for the Mustangs, they followed Virginia's path and found new success this season. With a 15-6 overall record and a 7-3 record in conference play, Southern Methodist is ranked in the top 25 this year for the first time in program history. The Mustangs are currently ranked No. 12 nationally, but their highest point was on Oct. 20, when the AVCA ranked them No. 7.

Notably, the Mustangs are the only team to beat the Panthers this season. Southern Methodist defeated Pittsburgh in a close five-set matchup in the ACC home opener on Oct. 12. The Mustangs have shown an impressive ability to compete with any team before them, and they could prove to be just as difficult to beat as Pittsburgh.

To get a win against Southern Methodist, the Cavaliers will have to slow down key players, including a duo of graduate transfers – outside hitter Maya Tabron, who transferred from Colorado, and outside hitter Naya Shime, who transferred from Wyoming. Shime was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week on October 7, while Tabron recorded eight double-doubles this season.

It certainly won't be easy for Virginia to get back-to-back ranked wins this weekend. However, the Cavaliers are no strangers to playing the role of underdogs, as they have consistently pulled off upset victories this season and surprised the volleyball world with their unprecedented success.

But even just a win against the Mustangs or Panthers could be crucial for Virginia to advance in the AVCA standings. With a win, the Cavaliers would also greatly improve their chances of qualifying for their first NCAA Tournament since 1999.

Friday's game starts at 7:00 p.m., while Sunday's first serve is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. The games can be streamed on ACCNX