No. 7 Cards Head to Georgia Tech and Clemson

Friday, November 21

Atlanta, Ga.

7:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

Georgia Tech

Cara Cresse hitting with Hannah Kenny on the cover

November 20, 2025 | Women's Volleyball

Match Notes for GT/Clemson Matches Louisville Volleyball Stats

By: Erin Hughes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The No. 7-ranked University of Louisville volleyball team will head out on the road to face Georgia Tech and Clemson for its last Atlantic Coast Conference road weekend of the season.

The Cards and the Yellow Jackets face off at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, on ACCNX. On Sunday, Nov. 23, Louisville and Clemson will match up at 1 p.m. on ACC Network.

UofL is coming off of a 2-0 weekend after defeating Florida State in four sets on Thursday night before reverse sweeping No. 14 Miami on Sunday afternoon. With the wins, Louisville is now 14-2 in ACC play and 22-4 overall.

Middle blocker Cara Cresse was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week for her performances in the wins. Cresse totaled 16 blocks across both matches, with four solo stuffs, and added 23 kills. Against the Seminoles, Cresse, middle blocker Hannah Sherman and opposite hitter Kalyssa Blackshear each logged eight blocks for the Cards' 16.0 total blocks. Outside hitter Payton Petersen tabbed a career-high 24 kills versus Miami, and logged a double-double in both matches with 10 digs in each and 13 kills against Florida State. Outside hitter Choe Chicoine totaled 19 kills and 23 digs on the weekend, and Blackshear logged 21 kills and 11 blocks through both matches. Setter Nayelis Cabello added her eighth double-double of the season against FSU, posting 41 assists and a weekend-high 17 digs.

Quick Peek at the Cards

Middle blocker Cara Cresse was selected as the ACC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time this season on Nov. 17 following her performances against Florida State and No. 14 Miami.
Opposite hitter Kalyssa Blackshear was named ACC Freshman of the Week and setter Nayelis Cabello was selected as ACC Co-Setter of the Week on Nov. 10, their third time taking home their respective honors this season.
Opposite hitter Kalyssa Blackshear, setter Nayelis Cabello and middle blocker Hannah Sherman each received ACC Weekly Honors for their performances against Duke and North Carolina. Blackshear was ACC Freshman of the Week and Cabello was ACC Setter of the Week. Sherman was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week, her first career ACC honor.
Louisville was picked No. 6 of 16 total teams in the NCAA DI Committee rankings announced on Oct. 19.
The selection show for the 2025 National Championship will be at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN on Nov. 30.
Opposite hitter Kalyssa Blackshear was named the ACC Freshman of the Week on Oct. 13 following her performances against Virginia Tech and Virginia. Blackshear totaled 30 kills on the weekend, including 20 against UVA, and added six blocks.
Outside hitter Chloe Chicoine became the 27th Cardinal to reach 1,000 career kills on Oct. 10 against Virginia Tech. Chicoine is now 22nd on UofL's all-time kills list with 1,142.
Middle blocker Cara Cresse reached 400 career blocks on Sept. 26. She now sits at 477 total blocks, taking over eighth in program history, and is tied for sixth with 392 block assists.
Setter Nayelis Cabello and middle blocker Cara Cresse were named the ACC Setter and the ACC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 6, for their performances against Cal and No. 4 Stanford.
Louisville was ranked No. 9 in the NCAA RPI rankings as of Nov. 17.
Outside hitter Payton Petersen and middle blocker Hannah Sherman both set new career highs in blocks against Kentucky. Petersen stuffed five and Sherman added 11 of the team total 18.5 blocks.
Middle blocker Cara Cresse was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 15 for her performances against No. 2 Texas and at the Bluejay Invitational. Through four matches, Cresse posted 28 blocks and 49 kills and took home Bluejay Invitational MVP honors.
Opposite hitter Kalyssa Blackshear and outside hitter Payton Petersen were named to the All-Bluejay Invitational Team after combining for 71 kills, 16 blocks and 35 digs.
With a 3-1 win, Louisville handed Creighton its first home loss since 2022.
Middle blocker Cara Cresse matched her career-high with 14 blocks against No. 2 Texas. Outside hitters Chloe Chicoine (13 kills/14 digs) and Payton Petersen (18 kills/10 digs) both posted double-doubles against the Longhorns. Nayelis Cabello tallied a career-high seven blocks against UT.
Five different Cardinals posted new career highs against Illinois on Sept. 7. Outside hitters Chloe Chicoine and Payton Petersen along with middle blocker Kalyssa Blackshear set new highs in kills (17, 20 and 13), setter Nayelis Cabello extended her career high in assists (52) and libero Kamden Schrand added 28 digs, besting her previous high by 10.
Libero Kamden Schrand was voted MVP of the Cardinal Classic. Outside hitters Chloe Chicoine and Payton Petersen were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Louisville was voted to No. 7 in the AVCA Coaches Poll released on Nov. 17.
Setter Nayelis Cabello, outside hitter Chloe Chicoine and middle blocker Cara Cresse were selected to the ACC All-Preseason Team.
Chloe Chicoine and Cara Cresse were named to the 2025 AVCA Division I Player of the Year Award Watch List.
Nayelis Cabello and Cara Cresse were voted as team captains for the 2025 season. Chloe Chicoine joins them as a court captain.
UofL finished 2024 ranked No. 1 in the nation in blocks/set (3.09) and No. 10 in opponent hitting (.154). Cara Cresse was seventh in blocks/set (1.50).
The win over No. 1 Pittsburgh in the National Semifinals was the program's highest-ever ranked opponent win. The Cards' previous record was the win over No. 2 Texas in 2019 to advance to the Austin Regional Final.
Middle blocker Cara Cresse received AVCA All-America honorable mention in 2024.
Five Cardinals racked up AVCA All-Region Honors. Cara Cresse, Anna DeBeer, Charitie Luper, and Elena Scott were named to the All-Region Team, Reese Robins was All-Region Honorable Mention, and Nayelis Cabello was selected as Region Freshman of the Year.
Setter Nayelis Cabello was named the 2024 ACC Freshman of the Year.

Quick Peek at Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is led by head coach Michelle Collier, who is in her 12th season in Atlanta. Collier boasts a 233-127 record with the Jackets and a 273-155 career record in 14 years.
Outside hitter Anna Fiedorowicz was selected as ACC Freshman of the Year on Nov. 17 for her performances in back-to-back wins over Clemson.
Middle blockers Bianca Garibaldi and DeAndra Pierce are second and third in the ACC in hitting percentage, hitting at a .417 and .394 clip, respectively. Garibaldi is also eighth in the ACC in blocks per set with 1.29.
Libero Sofia Velez has 347 total digs in 2025, good for ninth in the conference. Velez was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 1.
Setter Heloise Soares is seventh in the ACC in assists per set (9.67) and total assists (890).

Quick Peek at Clemson

Jackie Simpson Kirr is in her fifth season leading the Clemson program. She holds a 71-82 record with the Tigers and is 88-121 in her seven-year career.
Setter Katherine Sandt was named ACC Co-Setter of the Week on Sept. 15 and Sept. 22. Sandt is sixth in the ACC with 9.68 assists per set.
Libero McKenna Gildon has 3.86 digs per set, good for fifth in the conference. The junior was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 22.
Middle hitter Kate Hansen reached 200 kills on the season against Georgia Tech last weekend. Hansen is hitting .329 on the season and has added 72 blocks to the defense.
Hansen and middle blocker Nil Okur lead the team with a .322 hitting percentage. Okur logged a .636 clip against Syracuse, hitting 14 kills on 22 attempts and no errors.