University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Boston College
Tar Heels Welcome BC, Syracuse to Open Final Homestand
October 31, 2017 | Volleyball
North Carolina kicks off its final homestand of the season on Friday, hosting Boston College and Syracuse in Chapel Hill this weekend. The Tar Heels are coming off a difficult road trip and look forward to playing in the friendly confines of Carmichael Arena, where they have gone 9-1 this season, including a perfect 6-0 in ACC play.
Friday, Nov. 3 // 6:30 p.m. // Daddy-Daughter Date Night
North Carolina (10-10, 7-5 ACC) vs. Boston College (6-16, 3-9)
Where: Carmichael Arena
Admission: FREE
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Stats: UNCLiveStats.com
Sunday, Nov. 5 // 1 p.m. // Kids Club Day
North Carolina (10-10, 7-5) vs. Syracuse (17-8, 9-3)
Where: Carmichael Arena
Admission: FREE
Watch: ACC Network Extra
Stats: UNCLiveStats.com
Upcoming Promotions
We're celebrating the bond between fathers and daughters on Friday night! Enjoy a daddy-daughter date night and come get your picture taken together with Ramses.
Sunday's match against Syracuse will be our annual Kids Club Day. The afternoon's activities will include a face painter and a balloon artist, as well as the final postgame autograph session of the season. Kids Club members can enjoy free pizza and Carolina prizes.
Looking ahead in the homestand, Thursday, Nov. 9, is 80s Night. Get ready for a #ThrowbackThursday trip down memory lane, complete with the best music from the 1980s. Free 80s-themed t-shirts for the first 150 Carolina Fever students in attendance. Additionally, Thursday's match will be a part of the Harris Teeter Million Meals Challenge. Fans are encouraged to donate nonperishable food items to support the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. Fans that bring three or more items will receive a $5 gift card to Harris Teeter.
The home season wraps up on Saturday, Nov. 11, against Clemson. UNC will honor the 2017 senior class and all of their contributions and accomplishments throughout their Carolina careers. Be sure to arrive early for the pregame senior ceremony.
Against the Field
North Carolina is a perfect 21-0 against Boston College, dating back to their first meetings in 2005. All 21 matches have come during conference play. Carolina is 10-0 at home and 11-0 on the road. The Tar Heels swept the season series with the Eagles last season, escaping Chestnut Hill with a 21-19 victory in the fifth set on Sept. 25 before winning 3-0 at home on Oct. 21.
Carolina is 7-1 all time against Syracuse, including a perfect 4-0 since the Orange joined the ACC in 2013. The Tar Heels lost the first-ever meeting, a neutral match back in 1990, but have dropped just a single set over the seven matches since then. UNC has never played Syracuse more than once in a season and have won the sole ACC meeting in each of the past four seasons.
Nordhorn Hitting High
Senior middle hitter Beth Nordhorn has exploded offensively this season, recording double-digit kills in 10 of 20 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 13th in the nation with a .413 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 14 of 20 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 2.63 blocks per set, which ranks third in the ACC and 30th in the nation.
Carolina has three individuals that are averaging at least one block per set, led by redshirt freshman Katharine Esterley. Esterley leads the ACC and ranks 23rd in the nation with 1.41 blocks per set. The redshirt freshman has the second-highest blocking average among rookies nationally. Senior Taylor Fricano ranks ninth in the conference with 1.10 blocks per set, while fellow senior Beth Nordhorn follows with 1.00 per set.
Scoles, Evans to Apply For Medical Hardship Waivers
Sophomores Julia Scoles and Mariah Evans, who both continue to suffer from symptoms related to concussions sustained at the beginning of the season, have been ruled out for the remainder of 2017. The pair will apply for medical hardship waivers to retain this year's playing eligibility and will return next fall with three years remaining.
The 2016 ACC and AVCA East Coast Region Freshman of the Year, Scoles participated in the first two matches of 2017. Evans, who played at setter in all 33 matches of last season, has not suited up for a match all season after sustaining the concussion during the preseason.
Statistically Speaking
- Beth Nordhorn leads the ACC and ranks 13th in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.416)
- Katharine Esterley leads the ACC and ranks 23rd in the nation in blocks per set (1.41)
- Esterley has the second-most blocks/set of all freshmen nationally, with the highest average for a UNC freshman ever
- Holly Carlton ranks eighth in the ACC in aces per set (0.31), and fourth during league play (0.36)
- Carlton ranks in the top 10 all time among UNC rookies in assists and aces per set
- Taylor Fricano ranks ninth in the ACC in blocks per set (1.10)
Carolina in the Polls
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 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.
Florida State was ranked in the top 25 in the first six polls of the season but has since dropped out. Pittsburgh, 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 26th-hardest schedule, including four top-25 and 11 top-50 matches, with wins over #22 Louisville, #36 LSU and #39 NC State. Carolina two top-50 matches remaining, kicking off the final road trip of the season with a visit to Louisville and #33 Notre Dame.
