University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Tar Heels Edge Wake Forest 3-1
November 5, 2010 | Volleyball
Nov. 5, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Suzanne Haydel and Emily McGee each recorded double-double efforts to lead North Carolina over Wake Forest 3-1 (25-22, 25-23, 21-25, 25-23) Friday night at Carmichael Arena. Kaylie Gibson added 25 digs to improve UNC to 21-6 overall and an ACC-best 12-2 mark.
Haydel registered 12 kills and 17 digs, good for her second consecutive double-double. McGee cranked 13 kills and also added 17 digs to record her eighth double-double of the year.
Seniors Courtney Johnston and Christine Vaughen each uncorked 11 kills apiece. Shelbey Bleke added eight kills, two serve aces and three blocks. Setter Cora Harms posted her team-best 12th double-double of the season with 26 assists and 16 digs.
"It was a tough match for us," said head coach Joe Sagula. "We got off to a good start, but Wake Forest really played well in the middle of the match. I am proud of the way we stuck it out to earn the win."
North Carolina cranked 17 kills to claim the first set 25-22. Haydel led the Tar Heels with four kills and four digs in set one. UNC benefited from four Demon Deacon serve errors and a pair of handling errors. Gibson reeled in 11 digs to lead all players through one frame.
The Tar Heels led the entire second frame and held on to earn the win 25-23. Wake Forest tied the score three different times and uncorked a .262 hitting percentage, but Carolina proved too much. McGee and Haydel each manufactured four kills from the outside to lead the Tar Heels offensively. Bleke recorded a pair of serve aces to help Carolina to a 2-0 advantage in the match.
The Demon Deacons led by as many as six to win the third frame 25-21. Carolina posted 12 kills to ten errors, good for just a .060 hitting percentage. Kadija Fornah and Andrea Beck combined for eight kills to anchor Wake Forest. The Tar Heels trimmed the Demon Deacon lead to two at 19-17, but could not overcome the deficit dropping in set three. Erica Behm registered nine of her 25 assists in the third.
Carolina earned their first lead of the match at 22-21 and moved forward to claim the set 25-23 and match 3-1. Johnston was electric in the final frame, recording six of her 11 kills in the fourth. Classmate Vaughen notched four kills and McGee provided a key serve ace to lead the Tar Heels.
UNC wins their sixth straight match, improving their home record to 12-1 in Carmichael Arena. The 12 matches are the most Carolina has won at home since 2008.
The win sets up a showdown with rival Duke Saturday night at 6 p.m. from Carmichael Arena. The Blue Devils and Tar Heels both lead the ACC with identical 12-2 marks. The match will be broadcast for free on Carolina All-Access.
