University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Drops Carolina 3-2
October 9, 2009 | Volleyball
Oct. 9, 2009
LACKSBURG, VA. - The University of North Carolina volleyball team fell to Virginia Tech Friday, with set scores 29-27, 16-25, 15-25, 25-16 and 10-15. Carolina falls to 7-9 on the year and 3-2 in the league, while Virginia Tech improves to 13-5 overall and 3-4 in the league. The Tar Heels were paced by Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland's career-tying 17 kills and 13 kills apiece from Courtney Johnston and Heather Brooks. The Heels only got eight kills from their outside hitters en route to posting a .104 hitting percentage in the match. Setter Cora Harms posted 49 assists and 14 digs, and libero Kaylie Gibson posted 25 digs. Brooks also posted four blocks in the match.
In the opening set Virginia Tech jumped out to a quick 6-3 lead. Four Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland kills later sliced the Hokie lead to 8-7. The Hokies continued to stretch their lead to 11-7, before a 4-0 Carolina run pushed the Tar Heels in front 12-11 forcing a Hokie timeout. The 4-0 run then erupted to an 10-1 Carolina run to open a 17-12 lead forcing yet another Virginia Tech timeout. Virginia Tech regrouped after the break opening a 9-2 run to push in front of Carolina 21-20. The Heels and Hokies continued to battle before Carolina was able to claim the set 29-27. Heather Brooks notched eight kills, Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland five and Courtney Johnston four to lead the Heels, who hit .148 in the first frame. The first set featured 10 tie scores and eight lead changes as Carolina's sideout percentage was 53% compared to the Hokies 50%.
The second set began in the Hokies favor opening an 8-5 lead early. Carolina continued to hang around before knotting the score at 14 and forcing a Virginia Tech timeout. The Hokies came out of the timeout strong claiming an 18-15 lead forcing a timely Joe Sagula timeout. Virgina Tech continued to build their momentum winning the set 25-16. The Hokies hit at a .286 clip in the second frame, after hitting only .091 in the first set. Carolina never claimed a lead in the second set as the Hokies notched a 76% sideout percentage in the second frame.
Virginia Tech used their momentum from set two to open an 9-3 lead early over Carolina. The Hokies continued to build a big lead at 14-7 forcing a Carolina timeout. The Tar Heels were playing catch up the entire frame as the Hokies claimed set three 25-15. Virginia Tech posted a .471 hitting percentage in the third frame and notched a sideout percentage of 80%. The Tar Heels continued to search from help on the outside hitting a lowly .088 in the second frame.
Carolina saw their first lead since set one at 2-1 to open the fourth frame and never looked back. The Heels uncorked an 9-3 lead behind middles Hanson-Tuntland and Brooks forcing a Hokie timeout. Hanson-Tuntland punished the Hokies early delivering seven kills as the Tar Heels stretched their lead to 14-5 forcing yet another Hokie timeout. The Hokies mounted a brief comeback late before the Heels took the set 25-16. The Tar Heels notched a .214 hitting percentage as the Hokies -.024 clip certainly contributed to fourth set win for the Heels.
The fifth and final set opened in the Hokies favor behind an 7-3 lead early forcing a timely Carolina timeout. Carolina battled back to slice the Hokie lead to 10-7 before a Virginia Tech timeout. Virginia Tech claimed the wild fifth set 15-10, that featured a yellow card issued to the Carolina bench, and match 3-2.
Carolina is now 13-5 all-time against Virginia Tech and 4-1 in the last five meetings. The Tar Heels last defeated Virginia Tech November 8, 2008 in Blacksburg, Va. Carolina travels to Charlottesvile, Va. Sunday to face Virginia at high noon.
