University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Miami
Tar Heels Sweep Hurricanes
October 20, 2007 | Volleyball
Oct. 20, 2007
Chapel Hill, N.C. - Carolina bounced back from a devastating defeat Friday night against Florida State with an impressive 3-0 (30-24, 30-22, 32-30) sweep of visiting Miami Saturday night. Megan Owens helped push the Tar Heels to the victory with a team-high nine kills, including eight kills in the match-clinching game three.
Carolina started the night off right in game one with a block party as the Tar Heels swatted away six balls. Leading the way was Christie Clark who assisted on four blocks in the early going. Clark tacked on three kills in just four attacks as well. The score was tied several times early on before Carolina went on a 3-0 run taking advantage of a pair of Miami errors for a 13-10 lead, forcing a Miami timeout. The Hurricanes would respond after the break outscoring Carolina 4-3 to pull within two at 16-14. North Carolina head coach Joe Sagula called a timeout and urged his players to respond to the Miami attack. Christine Vaughen responded with a block and followed to serve consecutive points for Carolina as it expanded the lead to 19-14 and putting the game out of reach. The Tar Heels would cruise from that point to a 30-24 win.
Game two was a battle throughout as the score was tied 11 times and the advantage changed hands on four separate ocassions. Neither team led by more than three points in the early going. Clark and Lauren Prussing gave the Tar Heels a 22-20 lead with kills, but the Hurricanes answered with back-to-back points to tie the score at 22-22. Bridget Bomhack gave the Hurricanes their 22nd point with a kill, but it would be their last as Carolina went on an 8-0 run to finish off the 30-22 win. Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland started the run with a kill and was followed by Prussing who added a kill forcing a Miami timeout. The Hurricanes did not respond to the pressure very well committing back-to-back errors before Briana Eskola served an ace and Prussing and Vaughen finished things off with kills.
The Tar Heels entered game three looking for their sixth sweep of the season, but Carolina would be put to the test. The teams would trade points in the beginning before Miami took a 12-11 lead. Carolina would respond right away with another patented 3-0 run to regain the lead at 14-12 forcing a Miami timeout. The Hurricanes responded to their coach with an 8-4 run to take the lead at 20-18 and force a UNC timeout.
Carolina answered with another run, this of the 7-4 variety, to take a 25-24 lead and force Miami into another timeout. The Tar Heels were truly put to the test after the timeout as Miami reeled off four consecutive points to go ahead 28-25 and pull within two points of forcing a fourth game. A Miami service error would give the Tar Heels a chance to pull within one but the Hurricanes responded with a kill forcing Carolina into a do or die mentality.
Sophomore Megan Owens would step up picking up a kill to put the score at 29-27. Head coach Joe Sagula decided to play the numbers and inserted freshman Sue Haydel into the lineup to serve for the Tar Heels. Haydel decided to deliver and even the score as Owens pulled Carolina within one with another kill and a Miami bad set made the score 29-29. The Hurricanes answered with a kill of their own to make it 30-29 before Owens tallied her eighth kill of the game and combined with Clark for a block to give Carolina a 31-30 lead. An attack error by Bridget Bomhack sealed the sixth sweep win of the year for Carolina.
Owens, Hanson-Tuntland and Prussing led a balanced attack for the Tar Heels with nine kills apiece. Carolina finished with 12 blocks as a team led by Christie Clark's eight assisted blocks from her middle position. Setter Stephanie Jansma finished the night with a double-double recording 35 assists and 10 digs.
Carolina will return to action on Friday, Oct. 26 when it travels to Clemson to take on the top team in the ACC.
