University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Florida State
Tar Heels Conclude Road Stretch in Sunshine State
October 25, 2017 | Volleyball
North Carolina's tough road stretch continues this weekend as the Tar Heels visit Florida State and Miami on Friday and Sunday, respectively. The Seminoles spent the first six weeks of the season ranked in the AVCA top 25, but have struggled some during the first half of conference play, sitting at 11-7 (5-5 ACC). Miami got off to an impressive 9-0 start to the season, entering the national conversation by receiving votes in all four AVCA polls in September. The Hurricanes have also cooled off a little during ACC play, tied for six in the standings at 12-4 (6-4 ACC).
Friday, Oct. 27 // 6 p.m.
North Carolina (10-8, 7-3) at Florida State (11-7, 5-5)
Where: Tully Gym
Admission: FREE
Watch: ESPNU
Stats: UNCLiveStats.com
Sunday, Oct. 29 // 1 p.m.
North Carolina (10-8, 7-3) at Miami (12-4, 6-4 ACC)
Where: Knight Complex
Admission: FREE
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Stats: SideArm
Against the Field
Florida State is the only ACC team with a significant lead over UNC in the all-time series, as the Tar Heels are just 23-40 all time against the Seminoles. Carolina has had the majority of its success at home, going 16-9 against FSU in Chapel Hill but just 6-27 in Tallahassee. The Tar Heels swept the season series with the Seminoles last year for the first time since 2000. After taking down then-No. 16 FSU in straight sets in its 2016 ACC home opener, Carolina found itself down 0-2 at No. 10 Florida State on Nov. 6. However, UNC fought back to win the match in five sets to capture its third top-10 victory of the season and return home from Tallahassee with a victory for the first time since 2008.
The Tar Heels have a slight edge on the series with Miami, going 15-12 all time and 13-9 since the Hurricanes reestablished the program in 2001. Both teams have been extremely effective at home, as UNC is 10-1 against Miami in Chapel Hill but just 3-8 in Coral Gables. The Tar Heels swept the season series last year, winning 3-0 at home and 3-1 on the road.
Nordhorn Hitting High
Senior middle hitter Beth Nordhorn has exploded offensively this season, recording double-digit kills in 10 of 17 matches, hitting .400 or higher in eight of those 10. Nordhorn has hit at least .500 with double-digit kills six times, including hitting .667 with 10 kills on 15 errorless swings against Wake Forest and .615 with 10 kills on 13 swings (two errors) against LIU Brooklyn. The Tar Heel senior leads the ACC and ranks 14th in the nation with a .417 season hitting percentage—one of just two ACC players hitting above .400 on the year.
Nordhorn did not see a lot of playing time over her first 2.5 seasons, but after an injury to Sydnye Fields allowed her to start the final 11 matches of 2016, Nordhorn finished her junior year with an ACC-leading .446 season hitting percentage, while leading the conference with a .403 clip during ACC play. The next-best conference player hit .359 on the year, nearly .100 points lower than Nordhorn. She did not meet the minimum playing requirements to be ranked nationally last season, playing in just 60 percent of UNC's sets (req. 66.7%), but her .446 clip beat 2016 NCAA leader Emma Hagedom (UMKC), who finished with a .439 hitting percentage last season.
Block Party
Carolina's blocking unit has returned to form, posting double-digit blocks in the 13 of 18 matches this season. The Tar Heels, who have ranked in the top six in the nation in blocks per set in each of the past three seasons, are averaging 2.65 blocks per set, which ranks third in the ACC and 28th in the nation.
Carolina has three individuals that are averaging at least one block per set, led by redshirt freshman Katharine Esterley. Esterley ranks third in the ACC and 26th in the nation with 1.40 blocks per set. The redshirt freshman has the third-highest blocking average among rookies nationally. Senior Taylor Fricano ranks seventh in the conference and 64th in the NCAA with 1.22 blocks per set, while fellow senior Beth Nordhorn follows with 1.03 per set.
AVCA Poll
After winning its 13th ACC title and advancing to the 2016 NCAA Regional Semifinals, North Carolina opened 2017 ranked No. 11 in the nation in the AVCA Preseason Coaches Poll. It marked the fourth consecutive season and fifth time overall that the Tar Heels began the year ranked in the top 25.
After dropping the first four matches of the season, UNC fell to No. 16 and then just outside the rankings to 26th. A pair of home wins over LIU Brooklyn and LSU moved the Heels up to No. 24 on Sept. 11, but five-set loss to Loyola Marymount knocked UNC out of the poll entirely (not even receiving votes) for the first time since Nov. 28, 2011.
Carolina will face four teams that appear in this week's AVCA Poll, having already faced three of this week's top 10 teams over the first two weekends of the season. The Heels opened the season by taking on No. 4 Minnesota and No. 7 Wisconsin, then faced No. 3 Florida in Puerto Rico the following weekend. Florida and Minnesota both spent three weeks at No. 1 this season and still remain in the top five. Additionally, Pittsburgh is currently receiving votes. The Panthers came in at #31 in the Oct. 16 poll, the week the Tar Heels visited Pitt.
Florida State was ranked in the top 25 in the first six polls of the season but as since dropped out. Duke, Notre Dame and Miami have all received votes this season, but do not currently appear in the poll.
According to the NCAA strength of schedule rankings, UNC played the third-most-difficult nonconference slate in the nation. Overall, UNC has played the 30th-hardest schedule, including four top-25 and nine top-50 matches, with wins over #25 Louisville, #28 LSU and #38 NC State.
