University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Colorado
Colorado Outlasts Carolina In Four Games
September 11, 2004 | Volleyball
Sept. 11, 2004
Boulder, Colo. - The University of North Carolina volleyball team fell in its final match of the weekend, losing to host Colorado in four games, 30-22, 30-32, 30-23, 30-22. UNC played its best match of the tournament in the losing effort, and challenged tourney-champ CU, who also beat San Diego and Pittsburgh. Dani Nyenhuis, playing at the school where her brother was a standout football player, led the Tar Heels with 16 kills and added 15 digs. Camilla Ihenetu, who is a native of Colorado, had her best match of the weekend, picking up 14 kills and five block assists.
The two squads played fairly even volleyball for the first half of game one. Carolina jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead before CU tied it at 5-all. The teams traded short runs for the next portion of the game before Buffalo setter Ashley Nu'u stepped behind the line to serve. Colorado scored six straight points off of Nu'u's serve, and opened up a ten-point lead which it would not relinquish, as the Buffs took game one, 30-22.
UNC evened the match at one game a piece with a 32-30 win in the second frame. The game featured 15 ties and seven lead changes as momentum swung back and forth throughout. After building a three-point lead at 11-8, the Tar Heels were again victimized by a lengthy CU run. Behind the serve of Therese Vinal, the Buffs scored six straight, forcing a Carolina timeout. UNC responded, tying the game at 15-all behind a big kill at the net by Katie Wright. Colorado answered, however, forcing another timeout after taking a 20-16 lead. Once again the Tar Heels rallied, this time behind the serving of McKenzie Byrd and the net presence of Amy Beaver. Carolina scored seven straight on Byrd's serve, with Beaver contributing several timely blocks. After a four point run by the Buffaloes, the teams traded points until a CU attack sailed long, giving game two to UNC, 32-30.
Colorado regained control of the match in game three, in which it led from start to finish en route to a 30-23 win. The Tar Heels were on the verge of breaking through in the late stages, when an Ihenetu kill cut the Buffs lead to 26-21, but it was not to be.
The fourth and final game was even early, before a three-point CU run gave the Buffs the lead for good at 10-7. Carolina would get as close as 17-15 on a big block by Byrd and Beaver, but Colorado did not falter, and won the match-clincher, 30-22.
The Tar Heels are back in action next weekend as they host the GlaxoSmithKline UNC Volleyball Classic.
