University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, September 11
Ann Arbor, Mich.
2 p.m.
North Carolina
3
vs
0
Duke University
Photo by: Jerome M. Ibrahim
UNC downs Duke 3-0 to Improve to 7-0
September 11, 2021 | Volleyball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Carolina volleyball team defeated Duke 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-21) on Saturday afternoon in its first match of the ACC-Big 10 Challenge, improving to 7-0, its best start to a season since the 2015 team won its first 15 matches.
Nia Robinson led the team with 13 kills, her fourth game as a Tar Heel in double-digits, while Amanda Phegley had a match-high .500 attacking percentage to go with nine kills. Kaya Merkler had six total blocks, just one shy of her career-best, with nine kills.
Carolina had a slow start to the match, with Duke taking the first three points. The Tar Heels didn't hold a lead until the score was 19-18, trailing by as many as five points in the set.
Carolina closed out the 25-22 set one victory with four straight points: three kills, one from each Merkler, Robinson and Parker Austin, and a Merkler service ace.
Set two was back-and-forth battle, with 13 tie scores and four lead changes. Parker-Robinson was an offensive spark in the set, racking up seven kills with a team-best .500 attack percentage.
As a team, Carolina had a .452 attack percentage, its best in a set this season, which pushed them to a 25-22 set victory.
UNC took the first four points of set three and held the and the lead the entire set, at one point going on a 7-0 run to lead 15-7 over the Blue Devils. The Tar Heels earned a 25-21 win in the set to earn the team's third straight sweep.
UNC now leads 64-57 in the overall series with Duke and is 9-7 against them in neutral site games. This was the first time the two teams have ever played each other in Michigan.
Carolina will finish their trip to the Great Lake State with a 1 p.m. match with Michigan on Sunday, which will be streamed on BTN+.
Stay up to date with Carolina Volleyball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
Nia Robinson led the team with 13 kills, her fourth game as a Tar Heel in double-digits, while Amanda Phegley had a match-high .500 attacking percentage to go with nine kills. Kaya Merkler had six total blocks, just one shy of her career-best, with nine kills.
Carolina had a slow start to the match, with Duke taking the first three points. The Tar Heels didn't hold a lead until the score was 19-18, trailing by as many as five points in the set.
Carolina closed out the 25-22 set one victory with four straight points: three kills, one from each Merkler, Robinson and Parker Austin, and a Merkler service ace.
Set two was back-and-forth battle, with 13 tie scores and four lead changes. Parker-Robinson was an offensive spark in the set, racking up seven kills with a team-best .500 attack percentage.
As a team, Carolina had a .452 attack percentage, its best in a set this season, which pushed them to a 25-22 set victory.
UNC took the first four points of set three and held the and the lead the entire set, at one point going on a 7-0 run to lead 15-7 over the Blue Devils. The Tar Heels earned a 25-21 win in the set to earn the team's third straight sweep.
UNC now leads 64-57 in the overall series with Duke and is 9-7 against them in neutral site games. This was the first time the two teams have ever played each other in Michigan.
Carolina will finish their trip to the Great Lake State with a 1 p.m. match with Michigan on Sunday, which will be streamed on BTN+.
Stay up to date with Carolina Volleyball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
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