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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Carolina Gets Past Georgia Tech In Four
November 12, 2005 | Volleyball
Nov. 12, 2005
ATLANTA, Ga. --- The University of North Carolina volleyball team moved into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a four-game win over Georgia Tech, 30-27, 26-30, 30-27, 35-33, Saturday night at O'Keefe Gymnasium. The win, coupled with Maryland's loss to Wake Forest, moves the Tar Heels to 21-7, 16-2 in league play and one game ahead of the Terrapins. The Yellow Jackets fall to 14-12, 10-7 in the ACC.
Carolina got off to a solid start in game one with a 30-27 win. The Tar Heels built a five-point lead at 14-9, and maintained a working cushion for the remainder of the frame. The gap would get to as much six at 28-22 before the Yellow Jackets cut it to two at 29-27. But senior outside hitter Camilla Ihenetu put the game away with her fourth kill of the stanza to give Carolina a one game to none lead.
It was Georgia Tech who would play with the lead for most of game two. UNC sprinted out to an early 4-0 lead, but the Yellow Jackets quickly pulled even with four straight of their own. An Ulrike Stegemann kill tied the game for the final time at 16-all, and the hosts began to pull away. Stegemann put a ball on the floor for game point, and Georgia Tech evened the match with a 30-27 win.
The offensive dominated game three, with UNC out-hitting Georgia Tech .375 to .351. Consistent offensive on both sides of the net prevented any sustained runs, and neither team led by more than three at any point in the game. A service ace by senior libero Taylor Rayfield gave Carolina the lead for good at 23-22, and Ihenetu put down the game-winner for a 30-27 victory.
Georgia Tech used a 5-0 run at 17-16 to take a six-point lead late in game four, and it appeared that the match would to a deciding fifth game. But Carolina began to chip away behind the offensive of senior outside hitter Dani Nyenhuis and finally tied the score at 26-all. The teams would trade the lead for the next several points until UNC got its first crack at match point at 30-29. Georgia Tech would respond, however, winning the next two points to serve for the game at 31-30. Back-to-back Nyenhuis kills gave Carolina a second match point, but the Yellow Jackets foiled that one and another at 33-32 to extend the game. After a Stegemann service error gave the Tar Heels their fourth match point, Carolina finally ended it. Nyenhuis got her 25th and final kill of the night, 10 of which came in the fourth game, to give UNC a 35-33 win.
In addition to her 25 kills, Nyenhuis had 17 digs, while Ihenetu (15 kills, 13 digs) and senior setter McKenzie Byrd (65 assists, 12 digs) also had double-doubles. Freshman outside hitter Lauren Prussing had 17 kills, while junior middle Amy Beaver had 12 kills and six blocks to give Carolina four players with double-digit kills.
Carolina will play its final two road matches of the year next weekend as the Tar Heels continue their southern swing at Miami and Florida State. UNC faces the Hurricanes Friday night at 7, then takes on the Seminoles Sunday afternoon at 1.
