Carolina Drops Heartbreaker at Virginia Tech

Friday, November 29

Blacksburg, Va.

3 PM

North Carolina

15-13,12-6ACC

Virginia Tech

11-20,4-14ACC

North Carolina

Virginia Tech

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

November 29, 2019 | Volleyball

Box Score

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Despite battling from behind and forcing a fifth set, North Carolina dropped five-set match at Virginia Tech on Friday afternoon in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Carolina fought throughout the match after the Hokies won the first and third sets. However, Tech defended its home court to pick up the 3-2 decision to wrap up the 2019 regular season.

Lauren Harrison led the Tar Heels with 16 kills and 12 digs for her first double-double. Mia Fradenburg reset her career best to a match-high, 27 digs. Both Destiny Cox and Skyy Howard tallied double-digit digs with 13 and 10, respectively. Virginia Tech's Kaity Smith paved the way for the Hokies, tallying 24 kills and 12 digs. Setter Talyn Jackson posted a triple-double with 10 kills, 46 assists and 16 digs to lead the Hokies. Virginia Tech improves to 11-20 on the season, 4-14 in ACC play while Carolina falls to 15-13, 12-6 in conference.

How It Happened
Despite keeping the match close to start, Virginia Tech went on a four-point run to take three-point lead. An ace from Annabelle Archer brought Carolina back within one. However, the Hokies took a six-point edge at the media timeout. The Tar Heels went on 3-0 run, featuring kills by Cox and Howard out of the break. Trading runs, the Hokies maintained a steady lead throughout the frame. Despite four kills by Cox, Virginia Tech took the first set, 25-21.

Looking to bounce back, the Tar Heels jumped on the board early with a pair of kills by Howard and Cox. Howard's fifth kill of the match gave Carolina a 15-13 lead at the media timeout. The Hokies would quickly use a second timeout at the 17-13 mark with Carolina on a 7-1 run. Despite a pair of kills from Cox, VT knotted the set at 19-all as the Tar Heels called time. Both teams traded service errors until a Hokies' attack error made it set point for Carolina. Virginia Tech prevailed through two set points before Harrison's second kill clinched the set, 25-23, to tie the match at 1-1.

Despite an early 3-2 Carolina edge, the Hokies went on a 14-point run before a kill by Howard put UNC back on the board. Harrison posted two kills and Karenna Wurl picked up five digs in the set of her 17 total. However, Virginia Tech commanded the frame with a 25-9 decision led by Smith's six kills.

Archer's third ace of the day gave UNC a 7-2 lead as the Hokies used a timeout. A pair of kills by Harrison extended Carolina's edge to 13-8. A four-point run, featuring Smith's 17th kill, sparked a UNC timeout as the Hokies brought it within two. Virginia Tech went on another short run after calling its second timeout to make it 22-21, Heels. A kill by Harrison from Esterley earned set point for UNC before a Hokies' miscue secured the set, 25-23 to knot the match at 2-2.

The Hokies jumped to an early four-point lead as Carolina called time. Harrison put Carolina on the board with her 14th kill of the match at the 7-1 mark. After a pair of challenges that went the way of the Hokies, the two switch sides with VT leading 8-2. Carolina went on a 7-1 run to bring the score within three, 10-13. The Tar Heels battled through one set point before a kill by Marisa Cerchio finalized the score at 15-11 for the five-set win.

Carolina Stat Leaders
» Kills: Lauren Harrison (16)
» Hitting percentage: Skyy Howard (.381, 10 kills)
» Assists: Annabelle Archer (43)
» Digs: Mia Fradenburg (27)

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