North Carolina
0-2
BYU
2-0
No. 11 BYU Edges No. 7 Carolina
August 29, 2015 | Volleyball
LOS ANGELES --- No. 7 North Carolina fell to 2014 NCAA runner-up and 11th-ranked BYU 3-1 (25-27, 25-19, 25-17, 26-24) Saturday afternoon at the Galen Center as part of the Women of Troy Baden Invitational. The Tar Heels looked poised to force a fifth set when they took a 22-16 lead in the fourth, but the Cougars scored six straight points and saved two set points before serving out the match. Leigh Andrew led UNC with 18 kills and 14 digs while BYU's Alexa Gray paced all players with 22 kills.
BYU (2-0) led for most of the opening set before Carolina (0-2) staged a rousing comeback. The Cougars held a 19-12 advantage on a Jaiden Achermann service ace before the Tar Heels started their rally. Andrew's kill got things started and Beth Nordhorn was in on blocks with Andrew and Taylor Treacy that pulled UNC within three at 19-16. Carolina would ultimately spoil five six points - five on the serve of Sheila Doyle - before a Nordhorn kill gave the Tar Heels the set.
But the Cougars led wire-to-wire in each of the next two sets and had their own big comeback in the fourth to seal the match.
Andrew was the lone Tar Heel with double-digit kills, but Paige Neuenfeldt added nine kills and five blocks. Victoria McPherson led the Carolina block with six assists, while Hayley McCorkle and Nordhorn both chipped in five stuffs.
Carolina concludes play in the Women of Troy Baden Invitational Saturday night against Chicago State.
