UNC Returns Home to Host Duke, Wake Forest

Friday, November 2

Chapel Hill, N.C.

6:30 PM

North Carolina

Duke

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

November 1, 2018 | Volleyball

Watch vs. Duke (Friday)Watch vs. Wake Forest (Sunday)Live Stats Notes

CHAPEL HILL – Returning home for the first time since Oct. 14, North Carolina plays host to crosstown rival Duke on Friday and Wake Forest on Sunday at Carmichael Arena.

Friday's match vs. Duke is slated for 6:30 p.m. while Sunday's match vs. Wake Forest begins at 1 p.m. Fans can watch both matches on the ACC Network Extra and follow at UNClivestats.com. Friday is professor appreciation night as well as the first 450 fans will receive a free t-shirt. Sunday is Carolina Volleyball's pink match to raise breast cancer awareness with UNC's Get REAL & HEEL. There will also be autographs after the match.

After a narrow 2-3 loss at Georgia Tech, North Carolina is seeking its first win since topping NC State on Sept. 26 at home. Despite a winless recent stretch, UNC ranks eighth in blocks in the ACC with 2.25 per set.

About the Tar Heels (5-16, 1-11 ACC)

After earning their first ACC win at home over NC State, The Tar Heels have struggled to pick up a second. Most recently, UNC battled Georgia Tech to five sets with several near career bests, but ultimately fell 12-15 in the fifth set. Carolina dropped a hard-fought three-set match at Clemson that featured a 27-29 set two.
Head coach Joe Sagula is one win away from 800 career wins and four away from 600 with the Tar Heels.
Destiny Cox leads UNC with 231 kills, followed by Ava Bell (165) and Skylar Wine (174) who recorded back-to-back double-doubles at Georgia Tech and Clemson. Katharine Esterley tacks on 62 blocks to Bell's team-best 68. Hunter Atherton runs the offense, dishing out 9.22 assists per set to rank seventh in the ACC. Starting libero, Mia Fradenburg owns team-best 273 digs.
Each of UNC's preseason losses were against either ranked teams or teams receiving votes in the AVCA poll.

About the Blue Devils (13-8, 7-5 ACC)
Coming off a historic win over previously unbeaten No. 5 Pitt, Duke brings a four-match winning streak to Chapel Hill Friday evening. Current ACC Player of the Week Leah Meyer stuffed nine Panther blocks in the 3-1 win, en route to her 400th career block to rank 13th among active Division I players.

Duke won its fourth straight match Sunday in record fashion, topping previously unbeaten No. 5 Duke. It marked Duke's first win over a ranked team this season and second over a top 5 team in program history.
Offense is led by Ade Owokoiran (2.87 K/S) and Payton Schwantz (3.00 K/S) each with over 200 kills.
Primary setters are Andie Shelton (5.90 A/S) and Haley Seyfarth (5.17 A/S).
Ranks top-five in the ACC in four categories: hitting percentage and assists, kills and blocks per set
Senior Leah Meyer ranks top-10 in the ACC in hitting percentage (.356) and blocks per set (1.46).
UNC has won seven of the last 10 meetings against Duke, including the past four matches at home. The Tar Heels are 27-19 in Chapel Hill against their crosstown foe.

About the Demon Deacons (8-16, 3-9 ACC)
Home for the past five of six, Wake Forest travels west in search of its first win since a weekend sweep over Georgia Tech and Clemson on Oct. 12 & 14. Prior to falling in straight sets to No. 5 Pitt and Virginia, the Demon Deacons battled to five sets vs. Duke and at Virginia Tech but fell short in the end.

Wake Forest is looking to get back in the win column after a quartet of losses before traveling to Chapel Hill. Most recently, the Demon Deacons defeated Georgia Tech and Clemson at home on Oct. 12 &14, respectively.
Primary setter is Madeline Holt with 9.32 A/S to rank sixth in the ACC.
Offense is led by Caroline Rassenfoss, Myca Mitchell and Caitlyn Della each with 200+ kills.
Ranks ninth in conference in aces/set with 1.14, led by Caroline Kuhn's 22 with 4 others in double-digits.
Despite starting the season with six losses, Wake Forest bounced back to win five straight, including a sweep of the Demon Deacons' home tournament Sept. 7-8 over Elon, Georgia Southern and Akron.
UNC has won 10-straight home matches against Wake Forest and is 2-13 in the past 15 matches.

Up Next
The Tar Heels remain home to host Miami on Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. After road matches at NC State Nov. 14 and Duke No. 17, Carolina wraps up the 2018 season with Senior Day Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. vs. Florida State.

Stay up to date with Carolina Volleyball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.