University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Minnesota
Tar Heels Knock Off No. 8 Minnesota
September 21, 2008 | Volleyball
Sept. 21, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - North Carolina battled No. 8 Minnesota to the bitter end Saturday night in Minneapolis, Minn. and went on to claim one of the top wins in school history as the Tar Heels won 3-2 (24-26, 25-20, 23-25, 31-29, 15-12) over the Golden Gophers. A total team effort fueled the Tar Heels to the upset victory as they battled back from a 2-1 deficit to claim a 31-29 set four victory before sealing the deal 15-12. The No. 8-ranking the Gophers held resulted in the top road upset in school history. The Tar Heels will look to carry the momentum into the ACC season as they host Maryland on Friday and Boston College on Saturday.
The Tar Heels nearly jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the opening set as they took an early 2-0 lead on the back of a Minnesota error and an ace from Suzanne Haydel as it signaled a sign of how Haydel's match would go. The Tar Heels and Gophers traded points before Carolina extended the lead to four on a kill from Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland at the 10-6 mark. The Gophers would not let the Tar Heels run away with the opening set as they closed the deficit to two (10-8) before a kill from Haydel and a solo block from Hanson-Tuntland made it four once again at 12-8.
A duo of kills by Minnesota and a block cut the lead to 14-13 in favor of the Tar Heels. A back row attack on the Gophers and a kill from Lauren Prussing made the score 16-13 and put the control of the set in the Tar Heels hands. Another kill off the hand of Hanson-Tuntland forced a Minnesota timeout with the score at 18-14. Carolina took the lead to a set-high five points at 22-17 as Haydel delivered another kill. Minnesota would mount a charge at that point posting four consecutive points making the score 22-21 and forcing the Tar Heels into a timeout. A service error on the Gophers put Carolina within a point of taking a 1-0 lead but the Gophers answered with a kill and a block to tie the score for the first time of the set at 24-24. The Gopher would take their first lead of the set with a kill and answered with a block to close out the first set at 26-24. Minnesota picked up six blocks in the win and outhit Carolina .071-.040.
Carolina would make sure not to relinquish the lead in the second set as they were able to hold off the Gophers. Midway through the match both teams tied at 16-16 and at 17-17 before Heather Brooks took over. An attack error by the Gophers and a kill from Stephanie Jansma made the score 19-17 in favor of the Tar Heels as Minnesota called a timeout to cool off Carolina. It failed to work as Brooks picked up a kill and combined on a block with Jansma to extend the lead to 21-17 and another Minnesota timeout. Coming out of the break Brooks combined with Lauren Prussing for another block and a five-point lead and two points away from evening the match at 1-1. The Tar Heels would outscore Minnesota 3-2 over the final stretch of the match to claim the 25-20 win. The Tar Heel offense was hitting on all cylinders in set number two as they hit .265 and converted 71 percent of their sideout opportunities keeping the Gophers from getting back into the set.
Set three would turn into a defensive struggle as Minnesota was held to a .096 hitting percentage and Carolina hit .056 as the Gophers claimed a 25-23 win and a 2-1 advantage in the match. The teams would trade the opening 10 points of the match along with the next 20 as the teams were tied 10-10 following a Minnesota error. A kill from the Gophers put them ahead at 13-12. Another pair of kills by the Gophers and an error extended the lead to 16-13. A 3-1 run by the Tar Heels cut the deficit to one (16-17) as Hanson-Tuntland and Jansma combined for another block. Hanson-Tuntland dropped down another kill to tie the set at 17-17 and another one at 18-18 following a service error. A 3-1 run by the Gophers forced Carolina into a timeout with the score leaning towards Minnesota at 21-19. A kill and an impressive block from Brooks knotted things up at 21-21 as the Tar Heels looked to mount a late charge. Coming out of a Minnesota timeout Prussing slammed down a kill before Minnesota answered and handed the Tar Heels a 25-23 loss.
Facing a 2-1 hole the Tar Heels showed some team fortitude as they captured an epic 31-29 decision to even the match up at 2-2. Carolina took a 7-4 lead early in the set before Minnesota brought the crowd 4,208 back into the match as the Gophers reeled off seven consecutive points to take an 11-7 lead. The Tar Heels could have folded after the run but kept the match close and closed the deficit to two (20-18) forcing a Minnesota timeout as Prussing delivered a pair of kills. The Tar Heels and Gophers traded the next four points before Carolina made its run and tied the match at 22-22 as Haydel and Hanson-Tuntland delivered kills once again. A kill from the Gophers made the score 23-22 following a long rally and appeared to be a turning point in the match.
Haydel took over the set as she delivered back-to-back kills to completely change the momentum. Minnesota would not go away as they evened the score at 24-24, 25-25, 26-26 before nearly closing out the match at 27-26 and again at 27-28. This time it was Courtney Johnston's to make her impression on the match and tallied back-to-back kills the second on one of the longest rallies of the match to claim a 29-28. A kill from Minnesota tied the set at 29-29 before Brooks dropped in another kill, which preceded another kill from Hanson-Tuntland as Carolina equaled the match at 2-2 and forced a fifth set for the second consecutive match.
The match of destiny was almost not to be as Minnesota controlled play in the beginning and gained a 7-4 edge following an ace. A Tar Heel timeout came at the perfect time as Hanson-Tuntland and Jansma combined for a block to cut the deficit to two (7-5). Minnesota and Carolina traded the next three points and Minnesota closed within five points of the win. An attack error preceded a kill as Minnesota took an 11-9 lead. Johnston stepped up from her outside hitter position again to pull within one (11-10) and a Minnesota miscue tied the score at 11-11 and forced a Minnesota timeout. Coming out of the break back-to-back kills from Haydel and a solo block by Hanson-Tuntland swung the momentum and silenced the crowd. Haydel delivered her team-high 19th kill of the night and put Carolina within a point of a monumental win. Minnesota would not go quietly as they tallied a kill before a senior stepped up for Joe Sagula as Lauren Prussing tallied her 17th kill of the night and give Carolina a 15-12 set five win and a 3-2 upset of No. 8 Minnesota.
Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland finished the night with 15 kills and 10 blocks, while Suzanne Haydel led the way with 19 kills and 25 digs. Heather Brooks chipped in 14 kills and Lauren Prussing added 17 of her own. Brooks and junior Christine Vaughen earned all-tournament honors as the Tar Heels claimed second place with the victory.
