The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1153250
72 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY DAVID ALLEN W hen NC State head volley- ball coach Linda Hampton- Keith addressed her team for the first time Aug. 8, she saw several fresh faces. Of the 18 players on the roster, six are true freshmen and two are recent transfers. Though she coached them last year, there are also two redshirt freshmen. After three successful and record-break- ing seasons as head coach, Hampton-Keith is tasked with redefining what the program will look like going forward. "I'm not sure who we are going into this year," Hampton-Keith said. "We are a young team, but a talented one. Not only did we lose six seniors [last season], but five the year before that. It's part of the circle of life, if you will." The youth of this Wolfpack team means a new start and a new set of goals, but the mindset remains the same: stick to the process, do not look ahead and give each opponent everything that is in the tank. "Our biggest challenge is not to circle any games," Hampton-Keith said. "We want to put ourselves into a position where we are bringing our best to the match re- gardless of who the opponent is." The good news for the coach is she has a stellar core returning that can help imple- ment the culture that got NC State back on the map in volleyball. Junior opposite hitter Melissa Evans was named second-team All-ACC a season ago while she finished second on the team in kills YOUNG BUT READY The Wolfpack Is Prepared To Prove Itself Junior opposite hitter Melissa Evans was a second-team All-ACC pick a year ago, and then became the first in program history to make the U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team this summer. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW ■ Key Games • Vs. Austin Peay and Kansas State, Aug. 30: Austin Peay finished 27-5 in 2018 and has finished atop the regular-season standings in the Ohio Valley Conference two years in a row. Kansas State finished 15-12 last season and performed well against tough Big 12 op- ponents, knocking off No. 22 Kansas and No. 24 Baylor. Both teams will provide a great test for the Wolfpack right out of the gate. • At Pittsburgh, Oct. 20: Right in the middle of confer- ence play sits a date with the Panthers. Pitt went 17-1 in ACC play a season ago and was upset by No. 18 Michigan in the NCAA Tournament. The consensus ACC favorites will play host to NC State, which will get the chance to show its talent against one of the nation's top teams. • At Duke, Nov. 10: A matchup against an ACC foe and triangle rival is always a day to circle on the calendar, and this year's contest against Duke will be no different. The last two times the Wolfpack and Blue Devils squared off the matches went to a nail-biting fifth set. Expect this year's matchup in Cameron Indoor to be another tight contest. Three Players To Watch Senior middle blocker Lauryn Terry The 6-3 Columbia, Md., native led the team with 86 total blocks and a .310 hitting percentage last season. She has steadily improved each season in sets played, kills, hitting percentage and total blocks. One of only three true seniors on the Wolfpack squad — two of whom will suit up this year — Terry will also be looked upon to provide leadership for a young NC State team. Sophomore outside hitter Jade Parchment She started 25 matches in her first season in Raleigh, highlighted by a career-best 21 kills against Notre Dame. The native of Kensington, Md., was named ACC Freshman of the Week twice in 2018, and finished third on the team with 280 kills and 216 digs. Junior opposite hitter Melissa Evans The second-team All-ACC member from 2018 returns to NC State after her most prolific season yet. The 6-1 junior from Lone Tree, Colo., finished last season with 349 kills and 18 aces, both the second most on the team. With double-digit kills in 20 matches last season, expect Evans to be a crucial member of the Wolfpack attack again in 2019.