Carolina Drops Four-Set Heartbreaker at Louisville

Sunday, September 29

Louisville, Ky.

1 PM

North Carolina

3-9

Louisville

8-2

North Carolina

Louisville

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

September 29, 2019 | Volleyball

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After winning the first set, North Carolina fought point-for-point against the Cardinals, but UNC was unable to overcome Louisville, falling 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in Louisville.

The Tar Heels and Cardinals battled through 38 total tie scores and 16 lead changes throughout the four-set match. Despite the loss, Carolina out-hit and out-blocked the Cardinals, recording 15.0 blocks in the match with three solo blocks by Lauren Harrison. Both Harrison and Mia Fradenburg reset single-match career-bests with 19 kills and 25 digs, respectively. The Cardinals balanced their offense between Emily Scott, Melanie McHenry and Aiko Jones who each tallied double-digit kills. Louisville improves to 9-3, 2-0 in the ACC while the Tar Heels fall to 3-9 on the season, 0-2 in conference.

The Tar Heels used their first timeout early as Louisville jumped to an 8-3 lead, but Carly Peck executed her first kill coming out of the break. An ace by Aristea Tontai and block from Destiny Cox and Skyy Howard. After using a second timeout, Harrison muscled the kill at the net. Tough serving by Hunter Atherton and steady defense brought the Heels within two, down 15-17. After trailing by as much as six, Carolina took the lead at 23-22 and finished off the first set, 26-24 for the win.

Beginning the second set, Louisville went on a five point run to claim an early lead. However, UNC responded with a 4-0 run of its own, featuring a pair of kills by Parker Austin to reclaim the Tar Heels' lead, 9-8. Louisville answered back by taking a 15-13 lead at the media timeout. UNC went on a 4-0 run featuring two kills by Harrison and Carolina's sixth block of the match take back the lead, 17-15. Harrison broke up the Card's six-point run with her sixth kill. Carolina battled through two set points, including a block by Cox and Howard, but Louisville took the set, 25-21.

Karenna Wurl tallied Carolina's fourth ace of the night to keep Carolina within one. A Louisville run made it 11-6 before a trio of blocks gave UNC some momentum and brought it within one. Harrison downed her 11th kill coming out of the media timeout as Carolina tied up the score at 15-all. Carolina's back row of Fradenburg, Annabelle Archer and Wurl kept several plays alive to give UNC the 20-18 lead that Skylar Wine finished off with a kill. However, the Cardinals knotted the set back up at 23-all and ended the frame on a four-point run to take a 2-1 lead, 25-23.

Howard and Wine connected for Carolina's 14th block of the match to make it 9-7, Heels. UNC trailed by two at the media timeout but answered back as Wine logged back-to-back kills to tie it up at 16-all. Making her first appearance in the fourth set, Katharine Esterley went 2-for-2 with a block. The Tar Heels fought through one match point before Louisville finished the set, 25-22 to take the match in four.

Carolina Stat Leaders
» Kills: Lauren Harrison (19)
» Assists: Annabelle Archer (23)
» Digs: Mia Fradenburg (25)
» Total Blocks: Destiny Cox (6), Aristea Tontai (6)

Noteworthy
» The Tar Heels recorded a season best, 15.0 blocks against Louisville. This is most blocks since UNC also had 15.0 vs. NC State on Sept. 26, 2018.
» Lauren Harrison set a new single-match best with 19 kills.
» Mia Fradenburg reset her single-match career best to 25 from 24 set vs. Auburn on Sept. 2, 2017.

Up Next
The Tar Heels continue their road trip at Louisville Sunday at 1 p.m. before returning to the Triangle to face the Wolfpack in Raleigh, N.C.

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