Volleyball Holds Block Party In Four-Set Victory Over Clemson

Sunday, October 30

Chapel Hill

1 p.m.

North Carolina

14-9,6-6ACC

Clemson

12-12,3-9ACC

Clemson

North Carolina

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

October 30, 2022 | Volleyball

Box Score

By: By: Ella Coxe, UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Carolina volleyball team defeated Clemson in four sets (23-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-21) on Sunday afternoon in Carmichael Arena. It is the Tar Heels' third victory over Clemson in their last five meetings.

Carolina dominated at the net against the Tigers, recording 18 blocks, the most by the Tar Heels in a match since Oct. 11, 2019. Junior Kaya Merkler led the block party with a career-best nine blocks, tallying a solo block and eight block assists, to go with 11 kills. Graduate Charley Niego and senior Skyy Howard each contributed five blocks.

Behind a season-best .395 hitting clip, Mabrey Shaffmaster led the match offensively with 21 kills and a match-best 18 digs, while matching a career-best of four blocks. The New Castle Ind., native now has 11 double-doubles on the season and has had double-digit kills in 12 of the last 13 matches.

Niego, who had 10 digs and 10 kills, and freshman Anita Babic, who had 40 assists and 10 digs, had the Tar Heels' other two double-doubles.

Carolina out-hit the Tigers .302 to .167, out blocked them 18 to 8 and out-dug them 66 to 55 in the match. The Tar Heels also had seven aces while Clemson had three.

Set 1: UNC: 23, Clemson 25
The first set was tight between the Tigers and the Tar Heels with 15 tie scores and eight lead changes. Clemson outhit the Tar Heels .261 to .234 in the frame and had two service aces. Shaffmaster led the Tar Heels with six kills, followed by Skyy Howard who had five, while Babic had 13 assists.

Set 2: UNC: 25, Clemson: 17
The Tar Heels took control of the second set early, serving three aces within the first nine points, highlight by two from Charley Niego. Carolina held an early 8-1 lead. The Tigers brought it within four points late in the set to make it 19-15, but Carolina went on a 6-2 run to end the set.Senior Karenna Wurl made her first appearance in over two months for the Tar Heels in the frame, serving set point.

Set 3: UNC: 25, Clemson: 14
The Tar Heels dominated the third set, outhitting the Tigers .292 to .-056. Maddy May had both of Carolina's service aces, while Shaffmaster had four kills. Carolina had a match-best 9 blocks in the set, led by five block assists from Merkler, while the Tigers had just one.

Set 4: UNC: 25, Clemson: 21
The fourth set was tight, with the teams exchanging the lead four times with 10 ties. The difference maker in the fourth set was the four blocks by Carolina and five kills from Shaffmaster and Niego. The Tar Heels hit a match-best .378 in the frame.

Up next, the Tar Heels travel to Notre Dame on Nov. 4 for a 6 p.m. match with the Fighting Irish.

Notables:

Carolina is 14-0 when hitting above .200 this season
Carolina hit .302 against the Tigers, just the third time this season the Tar Heels have hit above .300
With 40 assists vs. Clemson, freshman Anita Babic has recorded 40 or more assists in seven matches this season. She also had 10 digs, tallying her fourth career double-double
Charley Niego and Mabrey Shaffmaster lead the Tar Heels with 11 double-doubles each
Maddy May has recorded double-digit digs in seven straight matches
Liv Mogridge matched her career-best of five blocks against Clemson
Charley Niego matched her career-best of five blocks against Clemson