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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Duke Tournament (UGA, Liberty, WF, Duke)
Tar Heels Find Success In Spring Opener At Duke
March 27, 2017 | Volleyball
DURHAM, N.C. - Following one of the most successful fall campaigns in program history, North Carolina volleyball opened the spring exhibition season on Saturday, March 25, with a tournament on Duke University's East Campus. The Tar Heels played in four two-set matches and won six of the eight sets played with two sweeps and two splits.
"The spring season is all about developing our talents with skills, physical conditioning, leadership development and competitive drive," said head coach Joe Sagula. "I think it takes time with a young team. This past weekend was simply a starting point, a way of measuring ourselves now against ourselves in the weeks ahead."
The Heels kicked off the morning with a 2-0 win over Georgia, defeating the Bulldogs 25-19, 25-19. Liberty took the first set from Carolina, 17-25, in match two, but the Tar Heels reversed the score with a 25-17 win in the second set. UNC gritted out a 2-0 victory over ACC foe Wake Forest, 25-19, 25-23, in the third match of the day, before splitting with the host Blue Devils, 22-25, 25-19, in the finale.
ACC Freshman of the Year Julia Scoles led five Tar Heels in double-digit kills with 17 on the day, while Madison Laufenberg followed closely with 16. Holly Carlton, who redshirted the fall as a true freshman, posted 14 kills in her intercollegiate debut, tying with ACC Player of the Year Taylor Leath. ACC All-Freshman outside hitter Taylor Borup tallied 12 kills at the tournament, while middle hitters Beth Nordhorn (7), Katharine Esterley (7) and Sydnye Fields (6) all contirbuted offensively as well.
In the back row, Leath and Scoles paced six Tar Heels with double-digit digs with 15 apiece. Mia Fradenburg followed closely with 14 digs, while Carlton tallied 13 and Casey Jacobs and Mariah Evans added 11 each.
Seven Tar Heels had at least three blocks over the eight sets, with All-ACC Second Team middle Taylor Fricano leading the group with six stuffs, followed by four each by Esterley and Leath.
"We have a lot of room to grow to be prepared for next fall," said Sagula "I like the potential we show at times and the options we have with the varied lineups. We are a good work in progress."
With the men's basketball team off to Phoenix for the Final Four, the Tar Heels will take over the Dean E. Smith Center on Saturday, April 1, to host the annual Carolina Spring Volleyball Tournament. UNC will play host to UNCG, Virginia Tech and Duke with play beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, March 25 – Duke Tournament
10 AM - Georgia - W, 2-0 (25-19, 25-19)
12 PM - Liberty - T, 1-1 (17-25, 25-17)
2 PM - Wake Forest - W, 2-0 (25-19, 25-23)
3 PM - Duke - T, 1-1 (22-25, 25-19)
Saturday, April 1 – Carolina Tournament (Dean Smith Center)
10:30 AM - Duke
12:30 PM - UNCG vs. Virginia Tech
2 PM - Virginia Tech
3:30 PM - UNCG
