University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Volleyball Closes Regular Season at Wake Forest, Duke
November 21, 2017 | Volleyball
CHAPEL HILL -Â North Carolina closes out the regular season on the road this week, facing Wake Forest on Wednesday afternoon and Duke on Friday evening. The Tar Heels, who have played extremely effectively at home but have struggled on the road, look to end their tough, injury-plagued season on a high note. Both matches will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
Wednesday, Nov. 22 // 2 p.m.
North Carolina (14-12, 11-7 ACC) at Wake Forest (12-18, 4-14)
Where: Reynolds Gym
Admission: FREE
Watch:Â ACC Network Extra
Stats:Â GameTracker
Friday, Nov. 24 // 6:30 p.m.
North Carolina (14-12, 11-7) at Duke (17-12, 9-9)
Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium
Admission: FREE
Watch:Â ACC Network Extra
Stats:Â UNCLiveStats.com
Against the Field
Carolina has a sizable lead over the all-time series with Wake Forest, having claimed its 50th victory against the Demon Deacons earlier this season. The Tar Heels are 50-16 all time against the in-state foe, including an impressive 27-4 mark at home. UNC brings a 12-match winning streak into Wednesday's contest, with its last loss to the Demon Deacons coming back in 2009 in five sets.
UNC closes the season at crosstown rival Duke on Friday for the 114th meeting in history. It is the second-most matchups between any opponent, with UNC having faced NC State 117 times in program history. The all-time series is nearly even, with Carolina holding a slight 59-54 edge over the Blue Devils. Duke's 54 victories over the Tar Heels are the most of any Carolina opponent, although UNC has only faced eight teams more than 54 times.
The Blue Devils have a small advantage on the home series as UNC is 24-28 all time in Durham. UNC has won three of the last five matches in Durham after the Blue Devils won seven straight from 2005-11. UNC defeated Duke, 3-1, at home earlier this season as part of a perfect 10-0 ACC home slate.
Nordhorn Hitting High
Senior middle hitter Beth Nordhorn has exploded offensively this season, recording double-digit kills in 11 matches, hitting .400 or higher in nine of those 11. Nordhorn has hit at least .500 with double-digit kills seven times, including hitting .667 with 10 kills on 15 errorless swings against Wake Forest and .615 with 10 kills on 13 swings (two errors) against LIU Brooklyn. The Tar Heel senior led the ACC in hitting percentage for the majority of the season and currently ranks second in the league and 25th in the NCAA with .392 clip. If the senior middle sustains her efficiency through the end of the season, she is in line to set a new UNC single-season record, besting the mark of .389 set by Paige Neuenfeldt in 2013.
Nordhorn did not see a lot of playing time over her first 2.5 seasons, but after an injury to Sydnye Fields allowed her to start the final 11 matches of 2016, Nordhorn finished her junior year with an ACC-leading .446 season hitting percentage, while leading the conference with a .403 clip during ACC play. The next-best conference player hit .359 on the year, nearly .100 points lower than Nordhorn. She did not meet the minimum playing requirements to be ranked nationally last season, playing in just 60 percent of UNC's sets (req. 66.7%), but her .446 clip beat 2016 NCAA leader Emma Hagedom (UMKC), who finished with a .439 hitting percentage last season.
Nordhorn has been efficient throughout her career, hitting .408 with 401 kills and 88 errors on 767 swings. While she does not have the required 1,000 attack attempts to qualify for a UNC career record, she is the only Tar Heel in school history to hit above .400 with more than 50 career swings. Former setter Abigail Curry (2013-16) is the only other player to hit above .350 with more than 50 swings, hitting .369 with 103 kills on 222 attempts.
Block Party
Carolina's blocking unit has returned to form, posting double-digit blocks in the 18 of 26 matches this season. The Tar Heels, who have ranked in the top six in the nation in blocks per set in each of the past three seasons, are averaging 2.67 blocks per set, which ranks second in the ACC and 23rd in the nation. The Tar Heels lead the conference with 2.77 blocks per set during ACC play.
Redshirt freshman Katharine Esterley has burst onto the scene, ranking second in the ACC and 22nd in the nation with 1.40 blocks per set. The average is the eighth-highest at UNC all time and second-best for a Carolina freshman. Esterley ranks fourth all time among UNC freshmen with 110 block assists and 113 total blocks. She needs just eight block assists over the final two matches this season to reach the rookie record of 118 set by Lindsay Smith in 1995.
Senior Beth Nordhorn ranks 10th in the conference with 1.07 blocks per set. Classmate Taylor Fricano's career average of 1.04 over three seasons at Carolina sits just outside the Tar Heels' top 10. Despite playing just three seasons at Carolina (after transferring in from Wisconsin), Fricano ranks 13th all time with 273 career block assists.
Carlton Records Third Triple-Double at Louisville
On Sept. 16, 2017, redshirt freshman Holly Carlton recorded the first Carolina triple-double since 2005, tallying 10 kills, 25 assists and 10 digs against Coastal Carolina. On Oct. 6, Carlton registered her second triple-double, posting 13 kills, 18 assists and 11 digs against Duke to become the first Tar Heel in 25 years to record multiple triple-doubles in her career. Carlton registered her third triple-double of the season on Nov. 19, recording 10 kills, 21 assists and 12 digs at Louisville. She is one of seven players in the nation in the only Power 5 student-athlete with three triple-doubles this season.
Only two Tar Heels had previously recorded a triple-double during the rally scoring era: McKenzie Byrd (11/6/2005) and Malaika Underwood (11/29/2001). Both also featured 10+ kills, assists and digs.
Amy Piestrup holds North Carolina's career record (since 1989), having posted a total of 16 triple-doubles from 1989-92, including seven in 1991 and five in 1992, en route to 1992 ACC Player of the Year honors. Teammate Joanna Sahm is the only other Tar Heel under Coach Sagula to record multiple triple-doubles, registering four in 1991. Incredibly, Piestrup and Sahm both posted triple-doubles in the same match twice, on back-to-back outings on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4, 1991. All of Piestrup and Sahm's triple-doubles also featured double-digit kills, assists and digs.
There have been two Tar Heels to record triple-doubles featuring double-digit blocks under Sagula: Eve Rackham and Tori Seibert. Seibert tallied 18 kills, 13 digs and 10 blocks at NC State on Oct. 14, 1997, while Rackham put up 51 assists, 17 digs and 10 blocks against Duke on Oct. 15, 2000.
Tar Heel Triple-Doubles (since 1989)
- Holly Carlton at Louisville - 11/19/17 - 10k, 21a, 12d
- Holly Carlton vs. Duke - 10/6/17 - 13k, 18a, 11d
- Holly Carlton vs. Coastal Carolina - 9/16/17 - 10k, 25a, 10d
- McKenzie Byrd vs. Wake Forest - 11/6/05 - 10k, 59a, 10d
- Malaika Underwood vs. South Carolina - 11/29/01 - 12k, 11a, 10d
- Eve Rackham vs. Duke - 10/15/00 - 51a, 17d, 10b
- Tori Seibert at NC State - 10/14/97 - 18k, 13d, 10b
- Amy Piestrup - 16 times (kills, assists, digs) - 1989-92
- Joanna Sahm - 4 times (kills, assists, digs) - 1991
