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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
TCU
Tar Heels Comeback Bid Falls Short
September 20, 2008 | Volleyball
Sept. 20, 2008
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The North Carolina volleyball team fell into an early 2-0 hole against TCU in the Tar Heels second match of the Gopher Invitational Saturday morning in Minneapolis, Minn. before battling back and forcing a fifth set that TCU claimed for the 3-2 win (25-19, 25-22, 18-25, 17-25, 15-13). Middle hitters Christine Vaughen and Heather Brooks along with outside hitter Lauren Prussing combined for 39 kills in the match as the Tar Heels fell to 5-5 on the year and 1-1 at the Gopher Invitational. A 7:30 p.m CT matchup against No. 8 Minnesota awaits the Tar Heels Saturday night in Minneapolis.
The Tar Heels got off to an early lead in set number one against TCU as Christine Vaughen delivered an ace to give Carolina a 4-2 advantage. A string of kills from the Horned Frogs neutralized a kill from Heather Brooks as the score was evened up at 5-5. Four consecutive attack errors, two by each team made the score 7-7 before TCU tallied three consecutive kills to force a Carolina timeout. The break worked perfectly for the Tar Heels as they would outscore TCU 4-1 to even the score at 11-11. A net violation on Carolina seemed to get the Horned Frogs back in a rhythm as they tallied six kills to take an 18-13 lead and force another Carolina timeout.
The Tar Heels would cut the deficit to four on separate occasions but were unable to get any closer as the Horned Frogs secured the opening set 25-19. TCU hit an impressive .386 in the set as the Tar Heels were held to a mark of .111. The Horned Frogs converted 69 percent of their sideout opportunities keeping the Tar Heels from making a run during the set.
TCU carried the momentum over to the second set as they jumped out to a 10-6 advantage on the back of six kills. A string of errors from TCU to go along with a Heather Brooks kill and a block from Courtney Johnston and Christine Vaughen put Carolina ahead at 11-10. A 5-1 run from TCU made the score 15-12 in favor of the Horned Frogs as they looked to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Kills from Lauren Prussing and Christine Vaughen would help to pull the deficit to two later in the set as Carolina attempted a late comeback. Back-to-back kills from Vaughen made the score 22-21 with TCU leading as the Horned Frogs burned a timeout. A kill by TCU was answered with one by Stephanie Jansma before a TCU kill and an ace by the Horned Frogs gave them a 2-0 advantage. The Tar Heels hit .146 in the set, besting TCU's mark of .118 which was just enough to claim the 25-22 win.
TCU would continue to get out to a great start in set three as it claimed a 10-6 advantage in the early going. Another Vaughen kill and back-to-back errors by the Horned Frogs brought Carolina back into the set and the match at 10-9. The Tar Heels would battle back and tie things up 16-16 before beginning to play their best volleyball of the day. Following an attack error, Suzanne Haydel delivered a kill before Christine Vaughen turned away a Horned Frog attack and Prussing delivered a kill to put Carolina ahead 19-17. A setting error by TCU put the Heels up three before a marathon point went Carolina's way as TCU was called for a back row attack forcing the Horned Frogs into a timeout. Aleksandra Georgieva tallied a dig following the break that dropped in front of the unsuspecting back row of TCU made the score 22-17. Carolina would cruise from that point outscoring TCU 3-1 over the final four points to tighten the match at 3-1 on the back of the 25-18 win. Carolina hit a match-high .378 in the frame.
The momentum clearly shifted into the Tar Heels corner in set four as they jumped out to a 6-2 lead on kills from Haydel and Brooks and another block from Brooks and Prussing. The Tar Heels would lead by as many as eight points in the set as they cruised to a 25-17 win that would even the match at 2-2. Vaughen continued to add to her kill total on the day as her and her fellow middle hitter Heather Brooks upped their totals to 24 combined kills. The big win would help propel the Tar Heels into the decisive fifth set.
TCU picked up the opening two points of the fifth set before an attack error and a Heather Brooks kill evened the set at 2-2. The teams would trade the next four points before the Horned Frogs maintained a two-point advantage at 8-6 before the senior Prussing stepped up. Prussing delivered back-to-back kills to tie the set at 8-8 helping to fuel a Tar Heel run to a 10-9 advantage on the back of a Courtney Johnston kill. A trio of kills by TCU and another from Brooks and Johnston made the score 12-12. A Carolina attack error gave TCU a one-point edge as Carolina called its first timeout. Vaughen would deliver once again with a kill to tie the set before TCU answered with another kill, its 68th of the night. An attack error on the Tar Heels would end the set at 15-13 and the match at 3-2.
The Tar Heels fall to 5-5 on the year and will take on No. 8 Minnesota at 7:30 p.m. CT in the final match of the Gopher Invitational.
