University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Tar Heels Win Sixth Straight, 3-2 Over Wake Forest
November 14, 2007 | Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2007
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Tar Heels may have lost their 15-game winning streak but they were able to extend their match winning streak to a season-long six with a 3-2 road win over Wake Forest Wednesday night. Five different Tar Heels reached double-figures in kills and Stephanie Jansma recorded one of three double-doubles with 65 assists and 23 digs. Brianna Eskola tallied 26 digs to set a new school record for career digs passing the mark of Caroline deRoeck (2001-04) of 1,579.
The Tar Heels saw a streak come to the end in game one, as they were unable to pull out a 32-30 decision. Carolina hit .204 but it was not enough to keep its 15-game winning streak alive. Christine Vaughen put Carolina ahead at 17-15 with back-to-back kill following a Lauren Prussing kill. The Tar Heels extended their lead to 19-16 as Vaughen and Megan Owens recorded kills to force a Wake Forest timeout.
The Demon Deacons cut the lead to one (23-22) before Joe Sagula used his first timeout of the night. The Tar Heels would fail to respond as they fell behind 26-24 and used timeout number two of the game. Prussing added another kill after the break as the Heels picked up three of the next four points to even the game at 27-27. The teams would trade the next six points until it was evened up at 30-30. Carolina was unable to close the door from that point as the Demon Deacons were able to get the win and end the Tar Heels' miraculous unbeaten streak.
Carolina looked to get back on track in game two as it doubled up Wake Forest 14-7 in the early going. The Tar Heels would lengthen their lead from that point pulling within three points of closing out the game and tying the match at one game apiece. Carolina led at 27-19 before the Demon Deacons went an 11-1 run, something the Tar Heels have been doing the past five matches, to pull off the come-from-behind 30-28 victory and put the Heels in a 0-2 hole.
Junior libero entered the night just 11 kills shy of breaking Caroline deRoeck's (2001-04) career digs mark of 1,579 and after an eight dig performance in game one, it looked like the record would not last long. However, Eskola was only able to tally a pair of digs in game two for 10 on the night. She would not waste much time in game three in breaking the record and becoming Carolina's all-time leader with number 1,580 coming on the first point of the game.
Carolina would trail in the early going of game three before battling back to take a 13-12 lead after Stephanie Jansma delivered a kill that seemed to give the Tar Heels a spark. Carolina would not relinquish the lead from that point as it extended it to as many as seven (29-22) before taking the 30-25 win and avoiding the sweep.
The Tar Heels would force a fifth and final game with an impressive 30-23 game four victory. Noelle Dyk led Carolina with seven kills from her outside hitter position and Carolina hit a match-high .306. The Tar Heels would trail just three times in the fourth game with the latest point being at the 4-3 mark as Dyk and Sue Haydel provided a spark off the bench. The trio of Dyk, Haydel and Heather Brooks would provide six of Carolina's final seven kills.
Carolina entered the fifth game 2-5 on the season in five-game matches having lost its last three, including the last match it lost before the five-match winning streak against Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels would see the end of one streak come to an end with the opening game loss but they would make sure to up their winning streak to six with a dominating 15-5 game five performance. Carolina sent just five servers to the line in the final game as Dyk, Haydel and Brooks all delivered at last two kills in game five as Carolina picked up the win.
Eskola finished her night with 26 digs, not far behind was setter Stephanie Jansma who tallied 23 to go along with her season-high 65 assists, just three behind her career-high. Five different Tar Heels reached double-figures in kills with Dyk and Vaughen leading the way with 14 apiece. Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland finished the night with 13 just ahead of Lauren Prussing's 11 and Heather Brooks' 10.
