University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia
Heels Crush Cavaliers
November 6, 2009 | Volleyball
Nov. 6, 2009
Box Score |
Photo Gallery 1 
|
Photo Gallery 2
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - There was nothing cavalier about North Carolina's play Friday night at the Dean E. Smith Center in front of 7150 fans. The Tar Heels defeated Virginia 3-1 with set scores 25-17, 25-14, 19-25 and 25-16. Carolina improves to 13-12 overall and 9-5 in league play, while Virginia falls to 10-15 overall and 5-9 in conference play. The Tar Heels, which lead the ACC in digs per set, posted a season-high 101 digs in the match.
The Tar Heels attack featured three players with double-digit kills - Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland (17), Branagan Fuller (12) and Courtney Johnston (11). Hanson-Tuntland's 17 kills tie a career-high, the senior has registered 17 kills six different times in 2009. Cora Harms registered 49 assists and 22 digs to service the Tar Heel attack. Libero Kaylie Gibson posted a match-high 30 digs, freshman Emily McGee chipped in nine kills and 18 digs. Heather Brooks added five blocks to pace the Carolina defense.
Carolina got off to a fast start in set one uncorking a .316 hitting percentage to win the set 25-17. Brooks posted all of her five kills in the first set, while McGee added five to led the Tar Heel attack. Carolina finished the first frame on a 7-2 run behind a slew of Gibson serves, holding the Cavaliers to only a .182 clip.
The Tar Heels looked most dominant in the second frame, limiting Virginia to only two kills in the set and a -.100 hitting percentage. Fuller uncorked six kills and Hanson-Tuntland supplemented with five attacks for Carolina. The Tar Heels also posted 28 digs in the frame led by eight apiece from Gibson and Harms, winning the set 25-14.
Virginia battled back to take the third set 25-19 while registering a .349 hitting percentage. The Cavaliers Simone Asque and Rachel Gray registered five kills en route to posting 17 kills and only two attack errors. The frame featured seven tie scores and four lead changes, before the Cavaliers used a 11-2 run to finish off Carolina.
The Tar Heels notched a match-high 76% sideout percentage in set four winning the frame 25-16. Harms recorded 10 digs in the fourth set helping limit the Cavaliers to only a .048 hitting percentage. Suzanne Haydel added a huge lift off the bench recording four kills and three digs in the fourth set. Carolina never trailed in the fourth frame en route to their second consecutive victory.
The Tar Heels improve to 36-14 all-time against Virginia, including two victories in 2009. Carolina will be back in action Sunday at 1:00 p.m. against Virginia Tech. The Hokies handed the Tar Heels are heartbreaking 3-2 loss earlier this season. Sunday's match will offer a FREE broadcast via tarheelblue.com when Carolina will celebrate the careers four seniors.
