FSU volleyball set to face Miami in top 25 showdown on Wednesday

[Bob Ferrante]

FSU sports information:

The No. 18 Florida State volleyball team (8-2, 0-0) will begin its ACC season with a familiar foe in No. 25 Miami (9-2, 0-0) on Wednesday at Tully Gym. First serve is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen live on the ACC Network with Sam Gore (Play By Play) and Madison Fitzpatrick (Color) on the call.

Noles and Canes Meet in Rivalry Match on Wednesday

• The rivals will meet on Wednesday night, and the stakes are high as both teams begin ACC play.
• For just the third time in the rivalry's history, both teams will be ranked in the top 25. The two teams met when they were ranked in 2011 with Miami taking the match in four sets. The last time the teams met as ranked foes was in 2012 where FSU won in four sets.
• FSU has gotten the best of the Hurricanes the last couple of years as they have won the last four matches against Miami. FSU is also 7-3 in its last 10 matches against Miami.

Noles Off to Hot Start

• FSU is off and running so far in 2024 as they look to defend its ACC Championship.
• FSU is off to its best start since 2021 when they also started 8-2. A win on Wednesday would mark FSU's best start since 2016.
• FSU started 4-0 for the first time since 2017 including a win over No. 25 Georgia for their first ranked non-conference win since 2021.
• FSU opened up the season at home for the first time since 2011 and went 3-0 against USF, UC Santa Barbara and No. 25 Georgia.

Not Slowing Down on Offense

• FSU has proven to be one of the top offenses in the ACC and the country so far this season.
• As a team, FSU ranks 13th in the country and third in the ACC with a .291 hitting percentage and also ranks 28th in the country and fifth in the ACC with 13.81 kills per set. FSU ranks 38th in the country and sixth in the ACC with 12.69 assists per set.
• The Seminoles have been spreading the wealth as they have three players who have recorded 90 or more kills this season and four players who have recorded 65 or more kills this season.

Climbing the Ranks

• FSU was ranked No. 18 in this week's AVCA/TARAFLEX Coaches Poll. The Noles were ranked 17th two weeks ago which was the program's highest ranking since 2017.
• FSU opened the season ranked 20th in the preseason poll. It was the first time FSU was ranked to start the season since 2017.
• FSU picked up a ranked win against No. 25 Georgia. It was FSU's 41st ranked win in program history and was the first time FSU beat a ranked non conference opponent since defeating No. 14 Florida in 2021.

SHE'S BAAAACCCKKKKK

• The reigning 2023 ACC Co-Player of the Year Audrey Koenig is back for one last season with the Seminoles and will look to solidify herself as one of the top players in FSU history.
• Koenig was just the fourth Seminole to win the ACC Player of the Year award and was the first Nole to accomplish the feat since Payton Caffrey in 2018.
• Koenig is second on the team with 111 kills in nine matches and leads the team with 3.36 kills per set.
• Koenig has recorded 10 or more kills in her last seven matches.
• Koenig is also second on the team with 83 digs.
• Koenig also earned 2023 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors for the first time in her career.
• Koenig's 13 double-doubles last season were the 13th-most in FSU history.
• Koenig has recorded 1,068 kills during her career with the Garnet and Gold. Koenig became just the sixth player in FSU history to surpass 1,000 career kills in the rally scoring era. Her 1,068 kills is the fourth-best mark in school history. Koenig needs 60 kills to move into third. Koenig also ranks second all-time in the rally scoring era with 2,911 attacks.

Louis Coming Off Her Best Season as a Nole

• FSU senior and Tallahassee native Khori Louis put together her best season as a Seminole in 2023 as she earned First Team All-ACC honors and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention for the first time in her career.
• Louis hit a career-high .432 in 2023 which ranked fourth in the nation and was the fifth-best mark in school history and the best mark since Sareea Freeman in 2012.
• Louis has picked up right where she left off as she is hitting .490 with a team-leading 113 kills to go along with 41 blocks. Her .490 hitting percentage is first in the ACC and fifth in the entire country.
• Louis holds a career hitting percentage of .380 which is currently the best mark in FSU history. The previous record is .371 which is held by Brianna Barry.
• Louis was second on the team with 271 kills and 93 blocks in 2023.
• In her career, Louis has recorded 870 kills which is 10th in program history in the rally scoring era. She needs just 10 kills to move into 9th all-time.
• Louis also ranks top 15 in program history in the rally scoring era in solo blocks, assisted blocks and total blocks.

Noles Make Transfer Splash with Taylor Head

• The Seminoles made one of the biggest transfer moves in college volleyball last season as they picked up transfer Taylor Head from Arkansas. Head will have one season with the Seminoles after three seasons with Arkansas.
• Head was one of the best hitters not only in the SEC but the entire country last season as she picked up AVCA Third Team All-America honors after recording 494 kills with a .231 hitting percentage for a Razorback team that qualified for the Elite Eight.
• Head leads the team with 92 digs and is third on the team with 94 kills.
• Head was one of the best all-around players in the country last season as she was third in the entire nation with 22 double-doubles.
• Head ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in total kills, kills per set, total attacks, attacks per set, double-doubles, points and total digs.
• Last season, Head would've led the ACC in total kills, points, double doubles and total attacks. Head also would've ranked in the top five in kills per set, attacks per set and points per set.
• Head spent her spring with the Florida State beach volleyball team where she finished the season with a 8-2 record.

Dupes is Back and Making an Impact

• After a knee injury kept her off the court in 2023, libero Emery Dupes is ready to become a force for the Seminoles' defense once again.
• Dupes has played in 35 out of the 36 sets this season with 45 digs.
• Prior to injury, Dupes led the team with 287 digs in 2022 while playing in 94 sets.
• As a freshman, Dupes earned All-ACC honors and became the first freshman libero in FSU history to earn All-ACC honors.
• Broke the school freshman record with 3.88 digs per set and was also just the 12th player in FSU history to record over 400 digs.
• Dupes is currently averaging 3.18 digs per set in her career which ranks ninth all-time in FSU history.
• Dupes has also been terrific behind the service line recording 60 aces in three seasons. In 2021, Dupes recorded six service aces in a single match which is tied for the third-most ever by a Seminole in a single match.

Perry Becoming a Force in the Middle for the Noles

• After redshirting at Iowa State last season, Perry has become a force in the middle for the Seminoles.
• Perry is currently second on the team with 32 blocks and 1.03 blocks per set.
• Perry had seven total blocks against No. 25 Georgia which was just one block off her career high.
• Perry also has recorded 19 kills on 50 attempts.

Filimaua: A True Swiss Army Knife

• Kyleene Filimaua is a true do-it-all for Florida State volleyball.
• Returning to her main position as an outside hitter after playing libero last season, Filimaua has recorded 69 kills this season and has recorded four double-digit kill matches after recording just one double-digit kill match last year.
• To go along with her 69 kills this season, Filimaua has also recorded 76 digs, 19 assists, 12 aces and 10 blocks.

Phelan Becoming a Force on the Service Line and On Defense

• Kenna Phelan has shown off her nasty serve this season, and it became a game-changer for FSU.
• In 10 sets on opening weekend, Phelan recorded 10 aces from the service line. Her 10 aces were the eighth-most in the entire country on opening weekend.
• Phelan has recorded 16 service aces in 10 matches so far this season.
• Phelan recorded 19 digs against Auburn and 15 digs against North Florida. It was the first time in her career that Phelan has had back-to-back matches with 10 or more digs.
• Phelan has also been great as a setter in FSU's 6-2 system as she has recorded 176 assists.

Henke Off to Strong Start for the Garnet and Gold

• After missing opening weekend, Iane Henke has come right in and been a very valuable asset for the Seminoles.
• In her debut, Henke tallied 10 kills and six blocks against Cal Poly.
• In total, Henke has had 37 kills, 24 digs, 20 blocks and five aces in six matches for the Noles.

 

[Bob Ferrante]

The match is moved up to 6 pm