University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Clemson
Tigers Thwart Tar Heels 3-2
October 31, 2009 | Volleyball
Oct. 31, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina volleyball team fell to Clemson Saturday 3-2 with set scores 25-13, 23-25, 25-19, 20-25 and 11-15. The Tar Heels fall to 11-12 overall and 7-5 in league play, while Clemson improves to 18-7 overall and 8-5 in league play. Carolina looked sharp again early and held a 2-1 lead, but Clemson rallied to win the final two sets handing the Tar Heels their third straight loss. Carolina never led after the third frame, as the Tigers registered seven of their nine blocks in sets four and five.
Branagan Fuller led the Heels for the fourth straight match with 14 kills and 10 digs. Suzanne Haydel added 10 kills and 10 digs, while middles Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland and Heather Brooks each added 13 kills apiece. Kaylie Gibson led the Tar Heels defensively posting 23 digs. Setter Cora Harms registered 34 assists and 14 digs, while sophomore Erica Behm supplemented the Tar Heel attack with 13 assists.
Carolina could not of looked much better in the opening set, winning 25-13. The Tar Heels registered a .444 hitting percentage while uncorking 16 kills and zero attack errors. The Heels won a marathon ninth point and used that momentum to finish the set with a 16-6 run. Fuller and Haydel combined for nine kills while the Heels held Clemson to a .061 clip, notching a 84% sideout percentage.
The second set started out with much of the same story as Carolina led at one point 14-10 in the frame. Clemson rallied to knot the score at 18 and the two teams remained neck and neck until the Tigers took the final two points winning the frame 25-23. Three service errors and zero aces plagued the Heels in set two, while the team posted seven attack errors in the set.
Carolina never trailed in the third set winning the frame 25-19. The Tar Heels posted a .250 hitting percentage in the second set, while only committing four attack errors to 14 kills. Erica Behm chipped in four assists off the bench in the third to assist the Tar Heel attack. Heather Brooks added three block assists defensively for Carolina.
In contrast the Tar Heels never led after the third frame, as Clemson dominated the third set 25-20. Carolina used a late 7-2 run to trail 21-20, but lost the final four points to the Tigers. Again the Heels committed two service errors and zero aces while posting their lowest hitting percentage of the match at .068. Branagan Fuller and Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland were the only Heels to hit positively in the third, as Fuller notched five kills and only one error. Clemson did not register any blocks until the third set, posting three in the fourth.
The Tigers carried their momentum to take the fifth and final set 15-11. Carolina trailed by as many as five, but sliced the Tiger lead to two at 13-11 before losing the match 3-2. Clemson registered four blocks in the fifth frame while registering a .364 hitting percentage.
Carolina is now 49-16 all-time against Clemson. The Tar Heels defeated the Tigers 3-0 Sept. 25 in Clemson, S.C. The Heels handed the Tigers their first 3-0 loss at home since 2005. Carolina has a quick turnaround once again, playing three matches next week starting Tuesday night against rival N.C. State at 7:00 p.m. The match will be broadcasted for free via tarheelblue.com, check online for more details.
