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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Southern
UNC 3 Georgia Southern 0
September 10, 2011 | Volleyball
Sept. 10, 2011
- Tournament Central
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Carolina volleyball team swept Georgia Southern (25-18, 25-17, 25-23), Saturday afternoon in the 2011 Carolina Classic at Carmichael Arena. With the win, the Tar Heels improved to 5-2 on the year, while the Eagles' record dropped to 3-7.
Georgia Southern pulled away from the Tar Heels early in the first set, capitalizing on kills from three Eagle players to force a Carolina timeout with the score 7-4. The Heels battled back after the break, using back-to-back kills by Erica Behm from Ece Taner to pull within two. Georgia Southern held its lead, though, pulling away by as many as four at 12-8. Carolina took eight of the next 10 points, using back-to-back kills by Tia Gaffen to again pull within two. Capitalizing on two Georgia Southern errors, the Heels worked the frame to a tie score with a kill from Behm. Carolina took control of the match from there, stringing together two 4-0 runs to pull away from the Eagles, capping off the effort with a kill from Kayla Berringer. Emily McGee paced the Carolina offense in the first set with six kills; Berringer added four kills on six swings and added a block in the 25-18 set win.
The Tar Heels opened set two on a 3-0 run and didn't look back. Ignited by six kills from McGee, Carolina widened its lead to as many as 10 before Georgia Southern tried to stage a late-set comeback. The Eagles strung together three consecutive points to make the score 24-17, but the Tar Heels closed out the frame on another McGee kill, sealing the 25-17 set victory.
Carolina pulled away early in the third frame, taking a four-point lead at 7-3, but the Eagles mounted a 3-0 run to pull within one and eventually knotted the score at 11 on a kill from Parker Small. From there the teams alternated points, arriving at 10 tie scores throughout the remainder of the frame. The Tar Heels put away the set and the match on consecutive kills by McGee from Behm. McGee led the Tar Heels with 19 kills and nine digs, while Berringer added 11 kills on 16 swings on a .625 clip in the winning effort. At setter, Behm had 33 assists, six digs and a block.
In the first match of the morning session, San Diego defeated Arizona State, 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-20).
The 2011 Carolina Classic concludes Saturday evening with matches at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. In the first match of the evening, San Diego and Georgia Southern square off, followed by North Carolina vs. Arizona State.
