University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Duke
Carolina Falls In Three At Duke
November 16, 2007 | Volleyball
Nov. 16, 2007
DURHAM, N.C. - The North Carolina volleyball team had its six-match winning streak snapped on Friday as the Duke Blue Devils (21-6, 16-3 ACC) took a 3-0 (30-23, 30-20, 30-24) decision from the Tar Heels. Carolina falls to 15-14 on the year with the loss and 11-9 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The win also gave Duke a half point in the Carlyle Cup standings as the Tar Heels lead was cut to four (6-2). The Tar Heels will next be in action on Wednesday, Nov. 21 when they take on Miami at 4 p.m. in Coral Gables, Fla.
The Tar Heels battled in game one against the 24th-ranked Blue Devils as the teams played to a 10-10 tie after the first 20 points. Duke would go on a 4-0 run to take a 17-13 lead, one that it would not lose the rest of the way in game one as it took a 30-23 decision. Sophomore Noelle Dyk led Carolina with four kills in the opening frame.
Carolina battled to a 10-10 tie once again in game two as both teams struggled to take an advantage in the early going. The Blue Devils were able to take a 16-14 lead but Carolina would answer with back-to-back kills from Christine Vaughen. The response only seemed to spark Duke as it rattled off five consecutive points for a 21-16 lead en route to the 30-20 victory. Heather Brooks was a bright spot for the Heels in the middle in game two as she picked up five kills on just nine swings for a .444 attack percentage.
The Blue Devils jumped out to a 23-11 lead that looked to all but seal the sweep but Carolina showed some life in game three as the Heels rolled off a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to five (26-21). The run would come too late for Carolina as it would go on to lose game three 30-24 despite closing the game on a 10-5 run. Brianna Eskola tallied 12 digs in the third game from her libero position.
Carolina was held to an .082 hitting percentage on the night as Duke finished the night at .295. Lauren Prussing and Heather Brooks led the team in kills with seven apiece as Carolina finished with just 34 on the night. Carolina was held to six blocks on the night, category the Tar Heels tend to lead, while Duke blocked 11 shots in the win.
The Tar Heels will travel to Florida to close out the 2007 campaign against Miami on Wednesday and Florida State on Friday.
