University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Miami
Tar Heels Fall to Hurricanes in Four
October 17, 2004 | Volleyball
Oct. 17, 2004
CORAL GABLES, FLA. - The University of North Carolina volleyball team dropped its third straight match to an opponent from the state of Florida Sunday afternoon, as the Tar Heels fell to first-year ACC rival Miami in four games, 26-30, 30-27, 30-25, 30-28. Carolina got 17 kills and 18 digs from senior Molly Pyles, while junior Dani Nyenhuis added 15 kills and 15 digs. Senior Norma Cortez, who was a national champion at nearby Miami-Dade Community College, got the start at setter and led UNC with 33 assists.
The Tar Heels (11-10, 6-3 ACC) and Hurricanes (10-6, 5-3 ACC) played even volleyball in the early stages of game one, as neither team led by more than three and the game was tied four times. With the score knotted at 10-all, Carolina got hot offensively and won 10 of the next 12 points. UM would not roll over, however, and fought back to within three at 28-25, before a pair of late kills from Pyles won it for UNC, 30-26. The Tar Heels hit a sparkling .436 for the game, committing only three attack errors.
Game two was tight from start to finish and featured 12 ties and seven lead changes. After trailing 20-19, the Tar Heels won five of the next six to lead 24-21. But from there the Carolina offense struggled to maintain its rhythm and the Hurricanes took advantage. Led by Karla Johnson and Valeria Tipiana, who had 12 of UM's 20 kills in the game, the Canes took nine of the final 12 points to take game two, 30-27. Johnson and Tipiana finished with 23 kills and 19 kills, respectively.
Miami took over the momentum in game three, using its strongest offensive effort of the day to win, 30-25. The Hurricanes hit .333, as four different players hit .375 or better, while Carolina again had trouble finding offensive consistency and registered a match-low 14 kills.
Early in game four it looked as if UM would roll past the Tar Heels to win the match, as the Hurricanes quickly jumped out to a 5-1 lead. But Carolina responded, and eventually tied the match at 12-all. From there on the teams matched each other point for point before Miami finally broke the deadlock to take a 27-25 lead. UNC clawed back to within one at 29-28, but could not regain the lead, and dropped the game, 30-28, and the match, 3-1.
The Tar Heels will return home next weekend to host ACC opponents Clemson and Georgia Tech.
