Oct. 26, 2006

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest volleyball team will look to get back on the winning track as it travels to Clemson and Georgia Tech this weekend for a pair of ACC showdowns. The Demon Deacons will take on the Tigers Friday at 7 p.m. and then face the Yellow Jackets the following evening at 8 p.m.

The Wake Forest-Georgia Tech match will be broadcast live on www.ACCSelect.com. The match was originally scheduled for 7 p.m., but the start time was pushed back an hour due to logistical conflicts with the Yellow Jackets' home football game Saturday afternoon.

The Demon Deacons are coming off a pair of losses at Florida State and Miami last weekend. Wake fell in three games to FSU on Friday and then suffered a four-game setback to the Hurricanes on Sunday.

The losses dropped the Deacons to fifth place in the conference at the halfway point of the 22-match ACC season. However, Wake Forest sits just one game back of third-place Clemson and two back of second-place Florida State.

Clemson enters Friday also looking to snap a two-match losing streak. The Tigers fell at Virginia and Virginia Tech last weekend. The losses snapped Clemson's eight-match winning streak which it began with a win at Wake Forest on Sept. 23.

During the winning streak, the Tigers went undefeated in 21 straight games. Clemson extended the streak to 22 with an opening-game win at Virginia but eventually fell in the next three games.

Clemson has been especially tough this fall when playing at home. The Tigers are 9-1 at Jervey Gym but just 3-4 on the road. The last time Clemson lost at home was a five-game setback to South Carolina on Aug. 31. The Tigers have won nine straight at home since that loss.

Friday's meeting will be the 29th all-time between the two schools. After defeating Wake Forest earlier this season, Clemson now holds a 19-9 all-time advantage.

Georgia Tech is coming off a weekend split at Virginia Tech and Virginia. The Yellow Jackets defeated the Hokies in three games on Friday but then fell in five games at the Cavaliers on Saturday. Georgia Tech has won three of its last five matches since suffering a six-match losing streak Sept. 22 through Oct. 8.

Similar to Clemson, Georgia Tech has been better at home than on the road. The Yellow Jackets are 8-3 at home this fall but only 1-7 on the road.

Georgia Tech leads the all-time series over Wake Forest 19-8. The Deacons, however, have won the last two meetings, including a three-game sweep at Reynolds Gym earlier this season.

The Demon Deacons return home next week to face in-state rivals North Carolina and NC State. Wake hosts UNC on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and NC State Friday at 7 p.m. The Deacs will be looking to sweep the season series from both squads after earning a pair of road wins against the two earlier this fall. Both matches will be broadcast live on www.ACCSelect.com.