Carolina Tops Syracuse 3-0 for Third-Straight ACC Sweep

Sunday, October 17

Syracuse, N.Y.

1 PM

North Carolina

15-4,4-4ACC

Syracuse

14-6,3-5ACC

North Carolina

Syracuse

Photo by: Brooke Simons

October 17, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Carolina volleyball team earned its second ACC road sweep of the weekend on Sunday, defeating Syracuse in straight sets. Nia Parker-Robinson had a team-high 17 kills in the match, while Kaya Merkler had a season-high 15 kills with a .700 attacking clip.

Skyy Howard matched a career-best with two solo blocks, while Meghan Neelon had 43 assists, her fourth match this season with 40 assists or more.

Three Heels, Neelon (13), Olivia Diaz (11) and Karenna Wurl (10) each had double-digit digs in the match.

As a team, Carolina hit .267 to Syracuse's .215, with four service aces and seven blocks.

This was the Heels 10th 3-0 victory of the season and the third straight in ACC play.

How it Happened (25-22, 25-21, 25-22)
Carolina (15-4,4-4 ACC) started off the match slow, with Syracuse (14-6,3-5 ACC) jumping out to a 13-8 lead. An 8-3 UNC run after that point, highlighted by three kills from Nia Parker-Robinson, gave the Heels their first tie of the set.

UNC took its first lead after back-to-back kills from Emily Zinger and Parker-Robinson, a lead they held onto the rest of the set. Parker-Robinson had a match-high eight kills in the come-from-behind set victory. The Heels are 9-0 on the season when winning the first set.

Syracuse took the first two points of set two, but the Heels didn't trail long, with Carolina going on a 5-0 run to make it 5-2 early. UNC held a 21-17 lead late in the set before the Orange scored four straight to make it a one-point game. Carolina closed out the set with four straight points, which included two Zinger kills and a Karenna Wurl service ace. Parker-Robinson, Merkler and Mabrey Shaffmaster each contributed four kills in the set, while Howard, Zinger and Merkler each had a solo block.

The third set was a battle from the first point, with 12 ties and seven lead changes. With the Heels leading 16-14 midway through the set, Syracuse went on a 6-2 run to take a 20-18 lead. But Carolina fought back with its own run, ending the match on a 7-2 run to take the 25-22 set victory, sealed with a Shaffmaster block. Merkler had a team-high six kills, while Neelon had 16 assists in the set.

Up Next
The Heels return home for two Tobacco Road matchups, starting with N.C. State on Wednesday at 8 p.m. and finishing with a 6 p.m. Friday Duke matchup. Wednesday's match with the Wolfpack will be broadcasted on the ACC Network.