Virginia Tech volleyball, which split its matches against Notre Dame and No. 3 Louisville last weekend, heads to North Carolina for a pair of ACC contests against NC State and Wake Forest on Friday and Sunday.

Virginia Tech (8-15, 5-9 ACC) begins the weekend against NC State (15-10, 6-8 ACC), which enters Friday’s matchup riding a two-match winning streak following consecutive five-set victories over Georgia Tech and Clemson. The Wolfpack have experienced an up-and-down conference campaign but have recently regained momentum after losing four consecutive matches.

Sunday’s matchup presents a different opportunity for the Hokies, who travel to Winston-Salem to face a struggling Wake Forest squad (9-16, 3-11 ACC). The Demon Deacons have dropped four consecutive matches and six of their last seven, with their most recent victory coming against NC State on Oct. 25.

The Hokies, meanwhile, have won four of their last seven matches after losing six of their first seven in league play. Virginia Tech most recently defeated Notre Dame in five sets Friday before falling to No. 3 Louisville in straight sets Sunday.

Here’s a closer look at the squads the Hokies will face this weekend:

NC State

Entering Friday, NC State is two matches ahead of Virginia Tech in the ACC standings, having rebounded from a four-match losing streak with consecutive victories over Georgia Tech and Clemson.

The Wolfpack began the season with eight victories in their first nine matches, including a five-set road win over LSU on Sept. 8. NC State later defeated Belmont and Appalachian State in straight sets before closing non-conference play with a four-set loss to Indiana and a five-set victory over Coastal Carolina.

Conference play has proven more challenging for the Wolfpack, who opened their ACC schedule with a four-set loss to North Carolina before defeating Duke. Consecutive straight-set losses to Florida State and Miami followed, though NC State responded with victories over Syracuse and Boston College.

The Wolfpack then endured another difficult stretch, dropping four consecutive matches against Wake Forest, SMU and Pitt after previously sweeping the Demon Deacons on Oct. 23. However, NC State returned to the win column last weekend, defeating Georgia Tech and Clemson in five sets to improve to 6-8 in conference play.

NC State has been particularly successful in matches that go the distance, winning all six of its five-set contests this season. The Wolfpack recently overcame a 2-1 deficit against Clemson and survived a 19-17 fifth set against Georgia Tech.

Offensively, NC State is led by Britni Silver, who has recorded a team-high 348 kills through 24 matches. Silver averages 3.78 kills per set and has also contributed 173 digs, providing the Wolfpack with a consistent attacking option.

Jordan Smith has added 191 kills while maintaining a .236 hitting percentage, while middle blocker Talia Francom has recorded 153 kills on a team-best .350 hitting percentage among regular contributors. Francom has also been NC State’s most productive blocker, recording 126 total blocks through 25 matches.

Setter Eva Long has directed the Wolfpack’s offense, recording 952 assists and averaging 9.92 per set. Long has also contributed 226 digs and 20 service aces, while Zuzia Maciejewicz leads NC State with 286 digs.

Most recently, NC State defeated Clemson in five sets Sunday behind 13 kills from Sophie Groom, who hit .647 on 17 attempts. Silver added 12 kills and 14 digs, while Francom contributed 10 kills and seven blocks.

The victory followed a dramatic five-set win over Georgia Tech on Friday, when Silver recorded 21 kills and Long distributed a career-high 59 assists. NC State’s victory marked its first over the Yellow Jackets since 2017. The Hokies haven’t beaten the Wolfpack since Sept. 27, 2015.

Wake Forest

Wake Forest has lost four consecutive matches and six of its last seven; the Demon Deacons’ three conference victories have come against Boston College, Syracuse and NC State.

Wake Forest opened the season with a five-set loss to LSU before defeating Houston in five sets the following day. The Demon Deacons struggled to establish consistency throughout nonconference play, although they recorded victories over UCF, Georgia Southern, East Tennessee State, North Carolina A&T and Wofford.

The Demon Deacons began ACC play with consecutive five-set losses to Duke and North Carolina before falling to Miami and Florida State. Wake Forest responded with back-to-back home victories over Boston College and Syracuse, sweeping the Orange behind a season-best .469 team hitting percentage.

Following losses to Stanford and California, Wake Forest split consecutive matches against NC State, falling in straight sets in Raleigh before defeating the Wolfpack in four sets in Winston-Salem on Oct. 25.

Since that victory, the Demon Deacons have struggled to regain momentum, dropping four consecutive matches against Pitt, SMU, Clemson and Georgia Tech.

Offensively, Wake Forest has relied heavily on freshman Lyla Stewart and graduate student Ryleigh Whitekettle. Stewart enters the weekend leading the team with 283 kills, while Whitekettle has recorded 278.

Wake Forest has also relied on setters Emma Keeping and Becca Bellows to distribute its offense, while libero Andrea Roman has anchored the team’s back-row defense.

As a team, Wake Forest has recorded 1,257 kills through 25 matches, averaging 12.45 per set. The Demon Deacons have maintained a .202 hitting percentage, while opponents have hit .252 against them.

Wake Forest has also recorded 201 total blocks and 1,340 digs, although its 134 reception errors have exceeded its 103 service aces. Those struggles have contributed to the team’s difficulties maintaining consistency against conference opponents.

Most recently, Wake Forest suffered a straight-set loss to Georgia Tech on Sunday, falling 25-19, 25-18 and 25-14. Stewart and Whitekettle each recorded seven kills, while N’Diaye contributed six.

The Demon Deacons struggled offensively throughout the contest, finishing with a .147 hitting percentage compared to Georgia Tech’s .344. Wake Forest also recorded just two blocks, while the Yellow Jackets totaled five.

Despite Wake Forest’s recent struggles, the Demon Deacons have demonstrated an ability to compete against conference opponents. Their victory over NC State, along with five-set losses to Duke and North Carolina, suggests the Hokies cannot afford to overlook Sunday’s opponent.

Virginia Tech opens the weekend against NC State on Friday at 7 p.m. ET at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh before traveling to Winston-Salem to face Wake Forest on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Varsity Arena. Both matches will be available for viewing on ACC Network Extra.