Volleyball Topples Mountaineers in Straight Sets

Thursday, February 18

Chapel Hill, N.C.

5 PM

North Carolina

Appalachian State

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

February 18, 2021 | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score Photos Photo Gallery

By: Ella Coxe & Wells Armes

CHAPEL HILL – Hitting .466 as a team, North Carolina took down Appalachian State in straight sets in Carmichael Arena on Thursday night in the Tar Heels' first match of 2021.

Carolina earned a 25-15 win in the opening set, which included five blocks, three from Skyy Howard, that limited the Mountaineers to a .000 clip. The Tar Heels took the second set, 25-14, led by four kills from Parker Austin and a trio of blocks by Kaya Merkler. Posting their best hitting percentage of the night, .480, the Tar Heels closed out the match in commanding fashion, 25-13.

In addition to Austin's nine kills and Howard's eight, Merkler paced the Tar Heels with a perfect hitting percentage night that included six kills. Annabelle Archer finished the contest with 14 assists and Maylen Mitrovich followed her with 12. Karenna Wurl had a game-high 13 digs and three aces.

For the Mountaineers, Mccall Denny posted a match-best 15 kills, despite App State falling to 1-15. Carolina (7-2) returns to action Sunday, Feb. 28th at East Carolina before resuming ACC play in March.

How It Happened
Although the Mountaineers earned the first two points of the match, a block by Aziah Buckner and Howard sparked Carolina's early 7-2 run. North Carolina went on two different four-point runs to take a commanding 19-8 lead. Tough serving by Wurl that featured a pair of aces paced Carolina on a 6-1 run as App State called its second timeout at the 20-10 mark. The Tar Heels closed out the first game with a 25-15 victory. Amanda Phegley, Buckner and Merkler each had three kills in the opening set.

UNC's momentum continued in the second set as the Tar Heels went on a six-point run to take a 8-4 lead that included back-to-back blocks by Merkler and back-to-back kills by Howard. Despite nine kills from App State's Denny, North Carolina went on a 9-2 run to close out the second set 25-14. Austin had three consecutive kills during the run which propelled the Tar Heels to the second set win.

Carolina came out fast to start the third set, claiming the first three points on kills by Howard, Buckner and Aristea Tontai. The Tar Heels went on a four-point run to take a 15-5 lead. Howard and Niki Khoshatefeh formed the first block of the third set at the 18-7 mark. The Mountaineers went on a three-point run to trim Carolina's advantage to nine, but Erin Boone and Khoshatefeh delivered a block to regain the serve. The Tar Heels clinched the match on a three-point run and win the third set 25-13.

Carolina Stat Leaders
Kills: Parker Austin (9), Skyy Howard (8)
Hitting Percentage: Kaya Merkler (1.000, 6 kills)
Assists: Annabelle Archer (14)
Blocks: Skyy Howard (6)
Digs: Karenna Wurl (13)
Aces: Karenna Wurl (3)

Notable
» Carolina's team .466 hitting percentage was the Tar Heel's best since Oct. 14, 2017 at Virginia.
» Carolina is on a five-game winning streak.
» The Tar Heels out-blocked the Mountaineers 11-2.
» Emily Zinger made her first appearance in Carolina Blue.