University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
San Diego
Carolina Falls To San Diego in Three Games
September 11, 2004 | Volleyball
Sept. 11, 2004
Boulder, Colo. - The University of North Carolina volleyball team lost its second straight match in the University of Colorado Invitational Saturday morning, falling to San Diego in three games, 30-23, 30-16, 30-26. Molly Pyles led UNC with 13 kills.
The Tar Heels and Toreros traded points to open the first game before San Diego started to pull away. USD had a comfortable lead for most of the game until Carolina came out of a timeout to score five straight points and cut the lead to 20-19. After a Dani Nyenhuis kill made it 21-20 in favor of San Diego, the Toreros took nine of the game's last 12 points and triumphed, 30-23.
USD was dominant in game two, jumping out to a quick 9-2 lead and never looking back. They led by as many as 15 on a pair of occasions and cruised to a 30-16 win. Carolina showed some signs of life toward the end of the game when an Amy Beaver block and a Torero error cut the deficit to 26-15, but the Tar Heels would get no closer.
Carolina played its best volleyball of the match in game three, but to no avail. The game was tied seven times, the last coming at 13-all. San Diego pulled out to a 19-14 lead before three straight kills from Pyles and one from Brittany Randel cut the gap to one. UNC would get as close as 26-25 late in the match on a Pyles kill off a diving dig from McKenzie Byrd, but the Toreros closed out the game and won 30-26.
One of the bright spots for the Tar Heels was the play of a pair of freshmen, Randel and defensive specialist Ashley Board. Randel made her first career start and collected three kills and four digs. Board saw her most extensive action of the season, and finished the match with seven digs.
UNC will look to pick up a win in the tournament tonight against host Colorado. First serve is set for 7 p.m. MDT.
