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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Clemson
Tar Heels Down Tigers
September 30, 2011 | Volleyball
Sept. 30, 2011
Clemson, S.C. - North Carolina 11-3 (3-0) defeated Clemson 3-2 (23-25, 26-24, 25-15, 14-25, 15-13) at Jervey Gymnasium. Chaniel Nelson equaled her career-high with 18 kills and Emily McGee chipped in 11 kills to pace the offense. Kaitlyn Anderson (13 digs) and Cameron Van Noy (8 blocks) each recorded career-highs to lead the defense.
Clemson went ahead early in the opening set by three at 5-2 on block assists from Alexa Rand and Serenat Yaz. The Tar Heels trimmed the lead to one at 6-5 on a kill from McGee, assisted by Erica Behm. The Tigers responded with an 8-3 run to extend their advantage to six at 14-8 as Carolina called timeout. UNC won eight of the next eleven points out of the timeout to pare the Tiger advantage to one at 17-16, capped by a kill from Nelson. The Tigers then used a timeout of their own, but Carolina continued to rally and pulled ahead of Clemson 19-18 on block assists from Van Noy and Nelson. With The Tar Heels leading 23-21, the Tigers strung together four unanswered points to take set one by a score of 25-23. Nelson tallied six kills on a .556 hitting percentage in the first set.
The Tigers also grabbed the early lead in the second frame at 8-5, but Carolina battled back to take the lead at 12-11 on a block by Van Noy and Kayla Berringer, forcing Clemson to call timeout. Both teams traded points the rest of the way before Clemson went on a 3-0 spurt to take a 20-17 lead. Carolina forged a 5-1 rally to pull ahead of the Tigers 22-21 and forced Clemson to use another timeout. Clemson sent set two to extra points on a kill by Sandra Adeleye to tie to score at 24. UNC captured set two in extra points 26-24 to even the match at 1-1. Berringer and Nelson each registered four kills to pace the Tar Heels in the frame and McGee added three kills and five digs.
Jumping out to a 7-2 advantage in the third set was Carolina, highlighted by two kills from Nelson, forcing the Tigers to call a timeout. UNC increased its lead to eight at 15-7 on another kill by Nelson, assisted by Cora Harms. The eight-point advantage marked the Tar Heels' largest lead of the match. Carolina continued to pull away, going up by as many as 12 (20-8). The Tar Heels took set three (25-15), capturing set point on a kill by Van Noy on an assist by Behm.
After three tied and two lead changes to begin the fourth frame, the Tigers went ahead by three (10-7) on a kill from Rand. Clemson took nine of the next 13 points en route to a 19-11 lead, its largest of the match. Clemson won set four going away 25-15.
Down 3-2 in the fifth set, Carolina strung together four consecutive points to go ahead 6-3 on a kill by McGee off an assist from Behm. The Tar Heels won three of the next five points to maintain their three-point advantage (8-5) before the team switched sides. Clemson truncated the deficit to one at 9-8, but UNC's Van Noy unleashed a kill to put the Tar Heels back ahead by two (10-8). The Tar Heels ultimately closed out set five (15-13) and the match on a McGee kill, assisted by Behm.
The Carolina offense peaked in the final frame, as 14 of its 15 points were kills. This marked the Tar Heels' first five-set match of the season.
Carolina next travels to Atlanta, Ga., for a 6:30 p.m. match Saturday against Georgia Tech from O'Keefe Gym.
