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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Tar Heels Outlast Wake
September 30, 2005 | Volleyball
Sept. 30, 2005
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --- Senior outside hitter Dani Nyenhuis had 20 kills, including the 1,000th of her career, and a career-high 26 digs, and junior middle hitter Amy Beaver had a career-high 17 kills to lead the University of North Carolina volleyball team to a thrilling, five-game win over Wake Forest, 36-34, 16-30, 30-26, 30-32, 15-9, Friday night at Reynolds Gymnasium. With the win, the Tar Heels improve to 8-6, 3-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, while Wake falls to 7-5, 0-3 in the league.
One night after logging a school-record 103 swings at Duke, Nyenhuis got some offensive help from the middles in game one. Nyenhuis, Beaver and sophomore Christie Clark teamed up for 20 of Carolina's 28 kills and hit a combined .514, while UNC hit .407 as team and committed just four errors. The opening frame was an epic that featured 15 ties and five lead changes and saw both teams serve for game point on multiple occasions. After trailing for most of the early going, Wake tied the score at 20-all before the Tar Heels won four straight to force a timeout. A kill by senior outside hitter Camilla Ihenetu made it 29-27, but the Demon Deacons fought off the first two of six UNC game points to even the score. Wake got its first chance at taking the game after an ace at 31-all, but two straight Nyenhuis kills once again gave Carolina the upper hand. At 35-34, Clark finally put the Tar Heels over the top, pounding an over pass to floor to secure the win, 36-34.
Wake Forest showed no ill effects after the dramatic loss of game one, as they steamrolled the Tar Heels in game two, 30-16. The Demon Deacons dominated every aspect of play, out-hitting Carolina .256 to -.071. UNC briefly showed signs of life, winning for straight points at 29-12 on the serve of senior libero Taylor Rayfield. The Tar Heels had just six kills in the frame, while Nyenhuis, Ihenetu, Beaver and Clark combined for just one kill.
Just as the Demon Deacons had done in the previous game, Carolina was able to bounce back in game three. The Tar Heels played with the lead for most of the stanza after using a 6-1 run to take a 17-11 lead. Wake would pull within one at 18-17, but could get no closer. A Demon Deacon service error gave UNC the game, 30-26, and a 2-1 lead in the match. Freshman outside hitter Lauren Prussing played her best volleyball of the night in the frame, recording five kills, four of which came in the crucial late stages of the game.
Game four was every bit as dramatic as game one, with the hosts fighting off four match points to force a fifth and deciding game. With the game tied at 26-all, Carolina won three straight points to move to within one point of taking the match. But the Tar Heels were unable to finish the job, as Wake tied the score at 29-all. After a Prussing kill gave UNC a fourth game point, the Deacs won the final three points to take the game, 32-30.
Carolina got the key early advantage in game five, running out to a 9-2 behind three kills and a block by Nyenhuis. Wake pulled within five at 10-5, but the Tar Heels did not squander a chance to win the match a second time. Fittingly, it was Nyenhuis who put down the final ball for her 20th kill of the night, and 1,001st of her career, to seal the win for the Tar Heels.
After playing back-to-back five gamers for the first time since 2003, Carolina faces a short turnaround, as the Tar Heels travel to Raleigh Tuesday to take on NC State. First serve for that match is set for 7 p.m.
