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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Tar Heels Get Past Hokies In Four
October 29, 2005 | Volleyball
Oct. 29, 2005
LACKSBURG, Va. --- Senior outside hitter Camilla Ihenetu had 19 kills and five blocks as the University of North Carolina volleyball team overcame a sloppy offensive effort to defeat Virginia Tech, 30-24, 30-24, 23-30, 32-30, Saturday night at Cassell Coliseum. Junior middle Amy Beaver added 16 kills and five blocks for the Tar Heels (16-7, 11-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who competed a season sweep of the Virginia schools despite getting negative hitting percentages from three key contributors.
Game one couldn't have started better for Carolina, as freshman defensive specialist Brianna Eskola served the Tar Heels to a 7-0 lead to open the match. Virginia Tech would spend the rest of the game chipping away at the lead. The Hokies evened the score at 21-all before the Tar Heels once again put together an extended run, winning nine of the final 12 points to take the game, 30-24. UNC got three or more kills from four different players and a game-high eight digs from Eskola.
Carolina was able to overcome a bizarre scoring situation to win game two. With the score 16-13, the Tar Heels scored two straight points seemingly to take an 18-13 lead. But after three straight Hokie points made it 18-16, one of the points was removed from the scoreboard due to a discrepancy with the official scorer. UNC was undeterred, however, and responded quickly after falling behind 18-17. Carolina won seven of eight points to take a 24-18 lead and cruised to a 30-24 win.
The Tar Heels were never able to get into an offensive groove in game three, and the Hokies extended the match with a 30-23 win. Carolina hit just .019 for the game, by far its lowest output of the night. Virginia Tech never trailed in the frame and led by as many as 10 at 27-17.
Game four was the most exciting of the match, as the Hokies fought off three match points before the Tar Heels finally ended it, 32-30. Play was even in the early going, with neither team able to build a lead of more than two. UNC put together the first run of the game, a 4-0 spurt that made it 18-16 and forced a Virginia Tech timeout. But the Hokies came out of the stoppage firing on all cylinders and quickly built a five-point lead at 24-19. It would take Carolina 11 points to tie the match at 27-all. A Christie Clark solo block gave the Tar Heels the lead, and a Hokie hitting error made it match point at 29-27. After a side out, Virginia Tech used a Sarah Munoz service ace to erase the second match point and tie the score at 29-all. That's when Ihenetu took over. The Denver, Colo., senior registered kills on the final three Carolina points to secure the four-game win.
Senior libero Taylor Rayfield led the defensive effort with 26 digs, while Eskola added 18 on a night when the Tar Heels held the Hokies to a .093 hitting percentage.
UNC faces a quick turnaround this week, as the Tar Heels return home to host NC State Tuesday night at 7.
