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University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Volleyball Prepares for Match Against Virginia
October 8, 2014 | Volleyball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 12 North Carolina volleyball team returns to Carmichael to host one match this weekend, a Friday showdown against the Virginia Cavaliers in Carmichael Arena at 6 p.m.
The Tar Heels (12-2, 3-1 ACC) are coming off two exciting road victories this past weekend. On Friday, UNC took down the Pittsburgh Panthers 3-2 in Fitzgerald Fieldhouse. Chaniel Nelson had 15 kills and nine blocks, while Paige Neuenfeldt added eight kills for Carolina as they rallied from trailing 2-1 in the match to win in five.
North Carolina then dropped Clemson 3-0 in Jervey Gymnasium Sunday in an ESPN3 match. Nelson led the Tar Heel attack with 17 kills, while Leigh Andrew added eight kills and Jordyn Schnabl dished 20 assists. UNC trailed by four points in sets two and three but rallied to win each set by two points.
Nelson earned ACC Player of the Week honors on Monday for her tremendous performance against the Panthers and Tigers. She averaged 4.00 kills/set and 1.50 blocks/set against the two ACC foes. Nelson is the third UNC player to be named ACC Player of the Week in 2014, after Lauren McAdoo and Ece Taner were honored in September.
PREVIEWING THE VIRGINIA CAVALIERS
The Virginia volleyball team is off to a strong start in the ACC with victories over Clemson, Wake Forest and Louisville under its belt. UVa faced a solid non-conference schedule to prepare for the ACC slate as the Cavaliers defeated LIU Brooklyn, Marshall and Alabama in early season tournaments. While the Cavaliers have seven losses, those defeats came at the hands of teams such as No. 22 Duke, No. 24 Northwestern, Ball State and VCU.
The UVa offense is a three-pronged assault thanks to Tori Janowski, Jasmine Burton and Kayla Sears. Sears is leading the offense with 3.25 kills/set, while outside hitter Janowski adds 3.16 kills/set and 2.32 digs/set. Left-handed outside hitter Burton adds 3.10 kills/set, .44 digs/set and .57 blocks/set for UVa. Setter Lauren Fuller distributes 10.93 assists/set for an offense attacking at a .263 efficiency.
Virginia (10-7, 3-1 ACC) is led by Head Coach Dennis Hohenshelt, who is in his third season in Charlottesville. Hohenshelt has guided the Cavaliers to 37 wins so far under his tenure, including 18 wins during the 2013 campaign. Those 18 victories marked the highest win tally for the Virginia volleyball team since the 2007 squad won 18 games.
In Virginia's most recent match on Oct. 4, the Cavaliers defeated Louisville 3-1 behind 17 kills from Burton and 12 kills from Janowski and Haley Kole. Fuller dished out 48 assists, and Natalie Bausback had five blocks for UVa. The Cavaliers outhit the Cardinals .286 to .246 and forced 17 attacking errors from Louisville. The win pushed Virginia's record at home to 6-1, with the only loss coming to No. 22 Duke the night before.
North Carolina is 43-14 all-time against Virginia after defeating the Cavaliers 3-0 on Nov. 16, 2013 in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels will face UVa at 6 p.m. on Friday. Admission is free for all regular season home games in Carmichael Arena.
