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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
5-7, 2-1ACC
Duke
6-7, 1-2ACC
Tar Heels Stuff Blue Devils
October 3, 2015 | Volleyball
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina volleyball put on a show on national television on Friday night, sweeping cross-town rival Duke in front of a packed crowd of 4,184 in the Tar Heels' ACC home opener. The 3-0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-15) victory marks the 17th straight ACC win for Carolina at Carmichael Arena, as the Tar Heels improve to 5-7 (2-1 ACC), while the Blue Devils fall to 6-7 (1-2 ACC).
“Any time you're playing your rival and you can get this kind of crowd and win 3-0, it's amazing,” said head coach Joe Sagula. “It's an amazing feeling for this team. It's a big confidence booster. Playing it on TV also is always a neat thing. You put that out of your mind, so it's an after-the-fact thing. It's just a big bonus for us.”
The Tar Heels had just one more kill than the Blue Devils and trailed in digs, but it was the blockers that made the difference in the match, as Carolina out-stuffed Duke, 11.5-1.0 on the night, limiting the Blue Devils to a .214 hitting percentage. Additionally, Carolina started each point strong, totaling six service aces on the night, including three by Tatiana Durr.
“Blocking again was awesome,” said Sagula. “11-and-a-half to one, that's significant. But I thought the difference was we had a simple game plan. Victoria and Paige, Paige was awesome tonight. But on top of that, our left sides, Taylor Leath and Leigh (Andrew) were awesome. That was probably the best combination of left-side pins we've had all year long. And the right sides did their job. They were steady, low-error, got kills when we needed it and kept the ball in for us. It was just a better ball-control situation for us.”
“Our block is consistently a good factor for this team, it's such a momentum builder,” said McPherson. “Every big block we get, we're all in each other's faces like 'yeah!' so it really builds our confidence. Getting a big block makes us want to get a big kill or a big dig. It helps to keep things rolling.”
Senior Paige Neuenfeldt was a force to be reckoned with, hitting .846 with 11 kills on 13 errorless swings, while adding four blocks and an ace.
“She's a superstar,” said McPherson of her fellow senior middle. “I told her after the game, 'Way to just put it down.' Paige always does a really good job of managing her game. Her energy is contagious, really contagious. When she turns around with that big smile on her face, we just want to keep working for her.”
Leigh Andrew followed with nine kills, and Taylor Leath put up seven kills without making an error.
Victoria McPherson and Taylor Treacy were the driving forces at the net, as McPherson stuffed seven blocks and Treacy put up six.
“Tay is another one of those that I just love playing next to,” said McPherson. “She's a really fun person to be next to on the net. If we get a big block, I turn to her first and just feed off of her energy. Taylor has a vivacious spirit. When she's on her game, it's awesome.”
Jordyn Schnabl was a dig shy of a double-double, leading the team with 24 assists and nine digs, while her counterpart Abigail Curry tallied 14 assists and three kills. Libero Sheila Doyle led the Tar Heels with 12 digs and added six assists, while Durr put up an additional nine digs.
“Sheila Doyle, it's her fourth match ever playing as the libero and she's just getting better each time she plays, said Sagula. “This was her best match. (She does it) quietly, you don't notice it.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to see this team start to get a little bit better, and we just have to keep staying on the course. It's just a matter of staying disciplined and being patient, both for the coaches and the players.”
Carolina pulled away early in the first set, using a 5-1 run with the help of a Schnabl ace to take an 11-7 lead. The Blue Devils battled back to win four straight and tie the score at 14, but UNC pushed right back in front, 20-15, on a five-point run served out by Neuenfeldt. Duke would not back down, following with a 5-0 stretch of its own to pull ahead late, 23-22, on a kill by Emily Sklar. A service error ended the run, but another Sklar kill made it Duke set point, 24-23. Senior Paige Neuenfeldt then flipped it into high gear, slamming three straight kills to capture the first set for Carolina, 26-24.
The second set was heated, with a UNC 7-5 lead representing the only multi-point spread through the first half of the frame. However, a pair of Tar Heel blocks allowed Carolina to pull ahead, 20-15, and three straight Duke errors closed out the frame in UNC's favor, 25-19. Andrew paced the Tar Heels with five kills in the set, while Neuenfeldt was a perfect 3-for-3 to help Carolina outhit the Blue Devils .542 to .100 in the stanza.
The Tar Heels distanced themselves early in the third set, running out to a 7-3 lead with the help of two Neuenfeldt blocks, but Duke raced right back to within one, 7-6. A clutch kill by Treacy averted the tie, and Carolina fed off it to cruise to an 18-10 advantage. UNC never let off the gas pedal, and a perfect serve by Durr clinched the sweep, as the Tar Heels took down the Blue Devils, 25-15 in the final frame.
“When we're playing well, we're pretty good,” said Sagula. “What we have to figure out is how when we're off our game a little bit, how can we find ways to work through it and be successful. That's going to be how we're going to end up finishing and having a good season. To play a big match like this after being down a little bit from last week and being on the road, we were having some confidence issues. I think this is a big boost for everybody.
“The challenge now is to be able to match it tomorrow. We're always thinking about the next one. This is a good one. I want them to feel good about this. Celebrate this. Enjoy it. Starting tomorrow morning, we show up, it's all about Wake Forest.”
The Tar Heels continue the homestand on Saturday, Oct. 3, hosting Wake Forest in ACC play. In support of the Carolina Dreams initiative, fans are encouraged to bring unopened toys and craft supplies to donate to the North Carolina Children's Hospital. The match, which will be streamed live on ESPN3, is set to begin at 5 p.m.
