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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia
No. 12 Tar Heels Top Virginia 3-1
November 12, 2002 | Volleyball
Nov. 12, 2002
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -No. 12 North Carolina remained undefeated at home with their 13th consecutive win in Carmichael Auditorium Tuesday night with a 3-1 win over Virginia, 30-27, 30-24, 25-30, 30-24.
Sophomore outside hitter Molly Pyles, who recorded 14 kills and nine digs, let the Tar Heels (26-2, 13-1) offensively on the night. Senior outside hitter Laura Greene recorded 12 kills and 12 digs while playing in just three of the four games in the match.
Virginia (7-24, 1-14) played strong defense in the match with 83 total digs, including 28 by Whitney Ashcraft, the Atlantic Coast Conference leader averaging 4.06 per game.
Both teams came out strong offensively in the first game, with Carolina hitting .389 and the Cavaliers hitting .349. Greene led Carolina with five kills and .500 hitting percentage. The game was even until a pair of senior middle hitter Holly Strauss kills gave the home team a 9-7 lead. Carolina would hold on from their by the slimmest of margins, with Virginia tying the score at 25-25 on a kill by Paige Davis. A Greene kill on the next point gave the Tar Heels the lead for good to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
Junior middle hitter Aletha Green hit 6 for 7 with no errors in the second game, including Carolina's first four points. The Tar Heels led by as many as 10 points at two different points in the game before a kill by freshman outside hitter Dani Nyenhuis sealed the win with a kill on the 30th point.
Despite seven kills by Pyles, the Tar Heels dropped the third game 25-30. With the match tied at 15-15, the Cavaliers mounted a 10-5 run that gave them the advantage in the game and eventually the victory.
In the fourth game, Greene and Pyles combined for 11 kills as the Tar Heels won 30-24. Virginia committed 11 attack errors en route to hitting .074. With the score tied at 4-4, Carolina took off on a 11-5 run that included seven attack errors by Virginia and eventually held on for the win.
The win secures the Tar Heels at least a tie for first place in the ACC regular season with Georgia Tech. By virtue of a tiebreaker, Carolina has clinched the top seed.
The team looks to win the ACC outright this weekend, hosting Florida State Saturday at 6 p.m. and Maryland Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m.
