University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia
Tar Heels Sweep Virginia On Senior Night
November 9, 2007 | Volleyball
Nov. 9, 2007
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Tar Heels kept up their torrid pace on Senior Night posting the fourth consecutive sweep to improve to 13-13 overall and 9-8 in the ACC with a 30-25, 30-12, 30-19 win over visiting Virginia (16-11, 11-7 ACC). Seniors Ashley Board, Bekah Brinkley and Christie Clark were all honored before the match in Carolina's second to last match in Carmichael of the 2007 season. Junior Brianna Eskola tallied a match-high 34 digs in the win and now sits just 49 digs shy of the Carolina career mark. The Tar Heels will entertain Virginia Tech at 6 p.m. on Saturday to close out their home slate.
Carolina opened the match with a 30-25 win as the Tar Heels led wire-to-wire. Christine Vaughen picked up right where she left off, after earning ACC Player of the Week honors last week, leading the team in kills with six in the opening frame. Carolina used a 4-0 run in the early going to take an 11-7 lead that it would not lose the rest of the way. Junior Stephanie Jansma was a key focal point during the run as she delivered a rare kill and teamed with Heather Brooks for one of the four Tar Heel blocks in the game. Eskola started her night out on a high note with 11 digs to frustrate the Wahoo attackers.
The Tar Heels were nearly flawless in game two as they cruised to the 30-12 victory and a 2-0 lead at the break. Things were clearly going UNC's way as they jumped out to a very impressive 15-3 margin in the opening half of the game. Carolina scored seven consecutive points in the beginning to jump out to the early lead. The Tar Heels held a 19-point lead late in the game before securing the 18-point victory at 30-12. Eskola continued her defensive effort with 13 more digs and Lauren Prussing connected on eight kills including a .500 hitting percentage.
Game three Joe Sagula's troops produced a very balanced attack as six different Tar Heels recorded at least two kills with Bekah Brinkley and Prussing leading the way with three apiece. The Carolina defense stepped up as it did all night in holding the Cavaliers to a .056 hitting percentage in game three and a .083 mark in the game. Eskola finished the night with 10 more kills for the match-high of 34, just two behind Virginia's team mark of 36.
Prussing finished the night with a team-high 13 kills and a .240 hitting percentage. Jansma dished out 42 assists in the match and recorded 10 digs for a double-double. The Tar Heels fourth consecutive sweep was the first time Carolina has accomplished the feat since 2004. The sweep also opened up a new chapter in the Tar Heel record book, for the first time in school history the Tar Heels swept four straight ACC opponents. Carolina will play once more in Carmichael Auditorium on Saturday at 6 p.m. and will not return to the friendly confines until the 2009 season due to the reconstruction of Carmichael.
