University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Boston College
Carolina Bounces Boston College
October 2, 2009 | Volleyball
Oct. 2, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina rallied to defeat Boston College 3-2 Friday night to improve 3-1 in conference play and 7-8 overall. Boston College falls to 10-5 overall and 0-4 in league play. The Tar Heels had five players with double digit kills serviced by Cora Harms career best 64 assists. Heather Brooks posted a new career high with 15 kills and Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland tied her career high with 17. Carolina won the first two sets 25-15 and 25-12, but dropped the next two 25-22 and 25-23. Carolina had three of their four blocks in the final set to come from behind and win the fifth frame 15-13 and match 3-2. Three players hit above .400 in the match for the Heels: Courtney Johnston (.450), Brooks (.455) and Hanson-Tuntland (.500). In sets where the Heels posted a sideout percentage greater 65%, the Heels won. In the two sets lost the Eagles notched percentages of 65% to the Heels 58% and 60%.
In the opening frame the Heels dominated the Eagles winning the first set 25-15. Three players posted four kills apiece serviced by Cora Harms' 14 assists. Branagan Fuller posted four kills and six digs in set one. The Heels hit at a .289 clip with 16 kills and only five errors, as the Eagles registered a .222 hitting percentage.
Carolina continued their strong play in the second set, winning 25-12. The Tar Heels hit .368 in the second frame behind 18 kills and four errors. Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland notched six kills in set two supplemented by Heather Brooks' five. The Eagles hit a lowly .000 percentage in set two. After two sets, Carolina posted 34 kills to Boston College's 16.
The third set proved to be more competitive as the Eagles won the frame 25-22. Boston College registered a .250 hitting percentage compared to the Heels' .154 clip. Carolina led 17-13 at one point in the third frame, but an 12-5 Eagle run ended the set. The Eagles posted 16 kills, as many as they recorded in the first two sets, as it was only the third set ever won by the Eagles against the Tar Heels.
The Eagles carried their momentum into the third set opening a 7-4 lead to start the fourth frame. Boston College stretched their biggest lead of the game at 11-5 and continued to command the lead before a short 3-0 run behind Branagan Fuller's serves. The Eagles continued their strong play to a 18-14 lead before a 5-1 Carolina run knotted the score at 19. The Tar Heels finally claimed their first lead of the set, since 1-0, at 21-20 behind a Courtney Johnston kill and Eagles' set error. The Eagles proved to be too much winning the set 25-23 after a Carolina service error.
The fifth and final frame began in the Eagles favor. Trailing 8-6 Carolina scored three straight points behind two Brooks' kills and a block assist from Brooks and Suzanne Haydel forcing a Eagles timeout. Two more blocks and a kill later gave the Heels an 11-8 lead. Carolina continued to rally to win the set 15-13 and match 3-2.
Suzanne Haydel and Courtney Johnston added 10 kills along with Branagan Fuller's 15 kills. Sophomore Morgan Fox appeared in her first career match Friday night. Carolina is now 9-0 all-time against Boston College. Since the teams began playing each other in 2005, the Eagles have only won two sets against the Tar Heels. The Heels have swept the Eagles the last seven times they have met, including a 3-0 last year on Halloween in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Carolina returns to action next week against Virgina Tech October 9th and Virginia October 11th.
