University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Boston College
Tar Heels Sweep Boston College
September 27, 2008 | Volleyball
Sept. 27, 2008
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina volleyball team finished off its ACC-opening weekend with a 3-0 sweep of visiting Boston College (6-9, 0-3 ACC) on Saturday night improving to 8-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play. The Tar Heels posted winning scores of 25-21, 25-17 and 25-11 to secure their second consecutive ACC sweep. Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland led the way for Carolina as she tallied seven kills on just eight attempts and posted eight blocks. Carolina will now head to Durham to take on Duke and battle for a half point in the Carlyle Cup on Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.
The Tar Heels got off to a slow start Saturday night after an impressive performance against Maryland on Friday. Carolina battled to a 25-21 set one win as the defense carried the team converting 77 percent of its sideout opportunities. The Tar Heels held an early 4-0 lead taking advantage of three Boston College errors and a kill from Suzanne Haydel. The Eagles cut the deficit to two at 9-7 and forced a North Carolina timeout as neither team could gain control of the match in the early going. A 5-2 run out of the break by the Tar Heels forced a similar move from the Eagles as Carolina led 14-9. The Tar Heels extended their lead to 23-17 on a block from Haydel and Christine Vaughen as they closed within two points of the victory. Boston College would put the opening set win in doubt cutting the lead to three (24-21), before Lauren Prussing sealed the deal with a kill.
Set two was a test of head coach Joe Sagula's patience as the Tar Heels took a 7-4 lead before Boston College gained control of the set and outscored Carolina 7-3 to take an 11-10 lead. At a time when Sagula would have normally called a timeout to settle down his troops he let them play on and they responded to his call as they regained the lead on three straight kills from Stephanie Jansma, Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland and Prussing to claim a 14-13 lead and in turn force Boston College into a timeout. The move by Sagula clearly worked in Carolina's favor as the Tar Heels would go on to outscore the Eagles 11-4 after the timeout and took over the match with a 25-17 win.
The Tar Heels momentum continued into game three as the Tar Heels hit a season-high .400 connecting on 12 kills with just two errors. Strong serving helped the Tar Heels in set three, with Carolina in front at 16-10 Kelly Davies was subbed in and proceeded to serve nine consecutive points and putting Carolina within a point of the win at 24-11. Prussing would finish off another set with a kill as Carolina claimed its second consecutive sweep of the ACC season.
Hanson-Tuntland turned in another solid performance as she nearly tallied a double-double with seven kills and a remarkable nine blocks in just two sets of action. Fellow middle, Christine Vaughen, finished the night with eight kills. Senior setter Stephanie Jansma picked up four kills on the night as she dished out 28 assists and picked up a double-double with 13 digs. Prussing and Haydel led the outside hitters with seven and six kills, respectively.
Carolina will head to Durham on Friday, Oct. 3 and battle Duke for the first half point of the Carlyle Cup battle between Duke and Carolina before taking on Wake Forest on Saturday, Oct. 4 in Winston-Salem.
