Tar Heels Fall to Miami (Ohio) in Four Sets

Friday, September 13

Rochester, Mich.

6 PM

North Carolina

1-5

Miami (Ohio)

4-3

North Carolina

Miami (OH)

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

September 13, 2019 | Volleyball

Box Score

ROCHESTER, Mich. – North Carolina out-blocked Miami (Ohio) on Friday night, but the Redhawks earned the four-set win in Rochester, Michigan on the campus of Oakland University.

UNC recovered from a two-set deficit to win the third frame, but the Tar Heels were unable to complete the comeback as Miami (Ohio) took the match. Carolina falls to 1-5 while MU improved to 4-3.

Carolina's offense was balanced by Skyy Howard, Parker Austin and Skylar Wine who each recorded double-digit kills. Austin recorded her second double-double in as many matches with 12 kills and digs. Mia Fradenburg posted a season-best, 16 digs, while Karenna Wurl set a career-high of 10 digs. Four Redhawks recorded double-doubles in the match: Gaby Harper (15K, 14D), Taylor Daignault (10K, 11D), Morgan Seaman (29A, 11D) and Louise Comerford (25A, 10D).

Earning Carolina's first point of the match, Destiny Cox slugged an unassisted kill at the net. The Heels battled point-for-point until the Redhawks pulled away on an 8-2 run. Aristea Tontai swatted a kill and Tontai and Wine formed a block to give UNC some momentum. UNC out-blocked Miami that included a solo block by Cox. Carolina fought through two set points with a third kill from Wine and a Miami miscue, but the Redhawks took the first set, 25-19.

Carolina jumped to a 3-0 run to being the second set in hope to bounce back. UNC went on a 4-1 run, limiting the Redhawks to .056 in the set by the 11-6 mark. Miami brought the score within one, but the Tar Heels managed a 6-1 run on a slew of Redhawk miscues to make it 17-11. Miami responded with a run of its own to knot the frame twice at 18 and again at 21. The Redhawks ended the set on a 5-1 run for the 25-23 decision to take a two-set lead.

Finding some momentum with a closer set two, the Tar Heels responded to take the third frame. Annabelle Archer swatted down an over-pass at the net for a kill to give UNC the 8-5 lead. Wurl logged Carolina's second ace of the set, but a three-point run gave the Redhawks a 15-14 edge. Howard helped UNC reclaim the lead with a kill and block coming back from the timeout. Howard slugged her eighth kill of the match as Miami called a timeout at the 23-22 mark. Back-to-back kills by Austin earned UNC the 25-22 set win.

Despite an early Carolina lead, Miami went on a 5-1 run to bring the set within one as UNC called its first timeout at the 12-11 mark. Strong Miami serving and UNC reception miscues gave the Redhawks the edge late. Carolina fought through one set point on Austin's 12th kill of the match, but Miami took the set, 25-23.

Carolina Stat Leaders
» Kills: Parker Austin (12)
» Assists: Annabelle Archer (39)
» Digs: Mia Fradenburg (16)
» Blocks: Aristea Tontai (8)

Noteworthy
» UNC had a season-high of 13.0 total blocks.
» Parker Austin had a second double-double in as many matches (12 digs, 12 kills).
» Karenna Wurl set a career high of 10 digs.
» Aristea Tontai had a career best of seven block assists and eight total blocks.

Up Next
Carolina concludes its five-match road trip at Michigan State Sunday at 1 p.m. in East Lansing, Michigan.

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