North Carolina
LIU Brooklyn
Tar Heels to Host LIU Brooklyn, LSU at Carolina Classic
September 6, 2017 | Volleyball
| Carolina Classic | |
| North Carolina (0-4) vs. LIU Brooklyn (4-3) | Friday, Sept. 8 | 6:30 PM Watch: ACC Network Extra | Stats: UNCLiveStats.com Series: UNC leads, 1-0; Last: W, 3-0, on 9/2/05; Streak: Won 1 |
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| LIU Brooklyn vs. LSU | Saturday, Sept. 9 | 3 PM Stats:Â UNCLiveStats.com |
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| North Carolina (0-4) vs. LSU (6-0) | Sunday, Sept. 10 | 1 PM Watch: ACC Network Extra | Stats: UNCLiveStats.com Series: Tied, 4-4; Last: W, 3-0, on 9/7/12; Streak: Won 1 |
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| Where: | Carmichael Arena |
| Admission: | FREE |
| UNC Info: | Match Notes (PDF) | Statistics  |
Tar Heels Open Home Season with Carolina Classic
After two weekends on the road against tough competition, North Carolina returns home this weekend to host LIU Brooklyn and LSU in the Carolina Classic. The Classic returns to Carmichael Arena for the first time since 2014, after UNC had hosted the annual tournament every year since 2006.
Carolina looks to find its footing after a difficult start to the season in which the Tar Heels took on three top-10 teams in its first four matches. Those teams are now ranked No. 1 (Minnesota), No. 2 (Florida) and No. 6 (Wisconsin) in the nation. The Tar Heels have traditionally played well at Carmichael Arena, holding a 447-139 (.763) all-time record at home, including 313-93 (.771) under Sagula. The Heels have been extremely effective at home in recent years, going 71-6 over the past five years, including two undefeated home seasons (2012, 2014). UNC is 32-13 all time in home openers and has won its home opener in each of the past five seasons.Â
Against the Field
UNC has faced LIU Brooklyn just once before, in the 2005 season opener at the USF Powerade/Asics Classic in San Francisco. Carolina won the match, 3-0, to kick off its ACC Co-Champion season.Â
UNC is 4-4 all time against LSU but has faced the Tigers just twice since the late '90s. The Heels last faced the Tigers at home in the 2012 Carolina Classic, where they swept LSU in their home opener. LSU defeated UNC, 3-0, in Baton Rough on Sept. 10, 2010, in the only other meeting since 1998. UNC is 2-1 all time at home against LSU, with the sole home loss coming back on Oct. 25, 1986, when the Tigers were ranked 19th in the nation.Â
Scouting the Competition
The Blackbirds come to Chapel Hill with a 4-3 record, having defeated UNC Asheville, Presbyterian, George Mason and George Washington but falling to Georgia, Hofstra and Indiana. LIU finished second in the Northeast Conference last season but won the NEC Tournament to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, its 10th trip to the postseason in the past 13 years.
After going just 9-20 last season, the Tigers are off to a hot start, bringing a 6-0 record into this weekend's competition. The Tigers swept the USF Invitational, with wins over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Northwestern and USF in Tampa, then won three straight at the Dog Pound Classic, defeating Hartford, Connecticut and Iona. The Tigers have shown tremendous fight, battling back from down 0-2 to Northwestern and 1-2 at UConn to win both matches in five and maintain an unblemished record to open the season.
