University of North Carolina Athletics
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Duke
Tar Heels Dispatch Duke 3-1
October 16, 2009 | Volleyball
Oct. 16, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina volleyball team defeated Duke 3-1 Friday night in front of 12,724 fans at the Dean E. Smith Center, with set scores 25-22, 20-25, 25-16 and 25-21. The Tar Heels improve to 9-9 overall and 5-2 in the ACC, while the Blue Devils fall to 16-4 overall and 6-2 in the ACC. Duke entered the match in a three-way-tie atop the ACC as the Heels inch closer to the top of the league standings. The Blue Devils and Tar Heels were co-champions of the ACC a year ago.
North Carolina used a balanced attack that featured four players in double-figure kills serviced by Cora Harms 42 assists. Suzanne Haydel led all attackers with 15 kills and also posted 19 digs along with two blocks. Heather Brooks added 12 kills, while Branagan Fuller and Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland chipped in 10. Hanson-Tuntland also pitched in seven blocks to lead the Heels. Defensively libero Kaylie Gibson notched 22 digs supplemented by Aleksandra Georgieva's 16 digs and freshman Cayla Shortley's nine digs. Georgieva posted her first career block in the match.
Carolina hit at a .180 clip in the match, but posted hitting percentages of .300 and .275 in the final two sets. Duke hit at a .134 clip, which is Duke's lowest mark since playing No. 1 Penn State on Sept. 12, 2009. The loss gives Duke back-to-back losses for the first time since August 29-30, 2008, when the Blue Devils fell to two ranked opponents to start the season.
Carolina got off to a fast start in the opening set, stretching their biggest lead to 17-13 before a Blue Devil timeout. The Blue Devils battled back to knot the score at 18, before a 7-4 Carolina run gave the first set to the Heels 25-22. The Blue Devils were plagued by three service errors in set one, while the Tar Heels notched six blocks to hold Duke to a lowly .059 hitting percentage.
Duke got the best of the Tar Heels in the second set winning the frame 25-20. The Blue Devils used a .136 hitting percentage compared to the Heels .071 to take set two. Carolina only recorded eight assists the entire second set despite keeping the score close against the Blue Devils. Cora Harms recorded her first career solo block in set two.
Carolina really hit their stride in the third frame, registering a game-high .300 hitting percentage compared to Duke's abysmal .053 percentage. The Heels uncorked a 14-6 lead before a Duke timeout behind two service aces from Heather Brooks. The Blue Devils sliced the Heels' lead to as close as five, but Carolina pulled away winning the frame 25-16 and claiming a 2-1 lead in the match. Branagan Fuller posted four kills in six attempts, with zero attack errors for a .667 hitting percentage in the third frame.
The fourth and final set featured 13 tie scores and five lead changes, eclipsing the 11 tie scores in the first three sets alone. Down 19-17, the Heels reeled off six straight points to open a 23-19 before winning the set 25-21 and match 3-1. Haydel notched five kills down the stretch as a Fuller kill sealed the Carolina win. The Heels posted a .275 hitting percentage in the fourth frame and a 63% sideout percentage.
Friday's match against the Blue Devils was the first Carlyle Cup volleyball showdown between Duke and North Carolina with half of a point on the line. The Carlyle Cup is a yearly competition between both institutions that awards points for head-to-head competitions throughout the athletic year. The Tar Heels currently lead the 2009-10 competition 3.5-0 with victories in field hockey, volleyball, and men's and women's soccer.
Carolina improves to 50-41 all-time against the Blue Devils. Both champions of the ACC last year, the two teams split their two meetings in 2008. Carolina will play Wake Forest next Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
