Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Members of the Virginia Tech volleyball team celebrate winning against the University of Virginia last month. Tech won the match 27-25, 25-11, 26-24.

BLACKSBURG -- When Virginia Tech joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2003, it committed to a more balanced athletic program.

Since then, there has been a considerable rise in the success of its nonrevenue sports.

There was the Final Four appearance by the men's soccer team and a College World Series berth for the softball team. Olympians came in track and field and swimming. Several teams have captured ACC titles in the past few years.

This season another team is gaining new prominence.

The volleyball team is off to its best start in program history as it raced out to a 14-2 record and a 5-0 record in the ACC going into matches Thursday and Friday at North Carolina and North Carolina State. The Hokies were alone in first place in the conference before hitting the road, a game ahead of second-place Wake Forest in the loss column.

But don't let the record fool anyone. Team members know there is still work to be done if they want to reach unknown territory, the NCAA tournament.

"We have a goal as a team to make the tournament," said sophomore middle blocker Felicia Willoughby, the 2007 ACC freshman of the year. "Teams aren't going to give it to us, so we are going to have to be smart and work hard."

Tech has qualified for postseason play only once in the 32-year history of the program. That was in 1992 when the Hokies were selected to the NIT tournament.

Other successful seasons included back-to-back 30-win campaigns in 1981 and 1982. There have been 11 20-win seasons, but the Hokies have not reached that plateau since 2002.

Depth and consistency have been key this year for the Hokies in their start that has them on a school-record-tying 11-match winning streak. The team has been so hot that it has lost only one game in its past seven matches, that to preseason conference favorite Clemson.

Tech was picked ninth in the same preseason poll, so it's safe to say the start has surprised some people. Third-year coach Chris Riley knows opponents will be keying on the Hokies now.

"Anytime you win [11 straight] everyone is going to pay attention," he said. "We are going to have to come in ready to play every time. We have to make sure ... the other team knows 5-0 in conference is not a fluke."

Middle blocker Willoughby leads the Hokies with 149 kills. The Pleasanton, Calif., native also leads the team in hitting percentage and blocks. Willoughby's .405 hitting percentage ranks No. 15 in the country.

Juniors Betsy Horowitz and Taylor Parrish along with freshman Justine Record join Willoughby with more than 100 kills. Freshman setter Erin Leaser is the team leader with 512 assists.

Despite the success, the Hokies know potential pitfalls await both in the short and long term.

"We have all taken a greater personal accountability for the program that is part of the building process" Riley said. "We have been OK the last couple of years but knew it was time to make a bigger splash. Honestly, we are just in the beginning. Win streaks are great. Wins are great. But it's still a process to get where we want to be consistently."

What will keep things moving in the right direction?

"Heart," Willoughby said. "You have to work and you have to push yourself every day. That is what this program needs to be successful."

Even though they have the big picture in mind, that hasn't discouraged the players from enjoying themselves right now.

"Having people talk about us and coming to watch us play is a great feeling," Willoughby said. "We have to continue to pick it up and work hard for them."

"We just love to play the game," Riley said. "It is great to get an e-mail from someone in the Class of '52 wishing you good luck. Those are the things that keep us going."