Volleyball Drops Heartbreaker To Kansas State In Five Sets

Friday, September 19

Chapel Hill, N.C.

7 PM

North Carolina

6-2,0-0ACC

Kansas State

6-1,0-0Big 12

Kansas St.

North Carolina

Photo by: DALTON T. WAINSCOTT

September 19, 2025 | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – UNC volleyball dropped a five-set heartbreaker (25-16, 19-25, 11-25, 25-13, 10-15) on Friday night.

Maddy May was an anchor for the Tar Heels with her career-high 26 digs. Safi Hampton continued her strong start to the season with 15 kills. Hailey Pearce wasn't far behind her with 13 kills of her own.

The night started strong for the Tar Heels ending the first set on a 19-9 run to go up 1-0.

The Wildcats responded by rattling off the next two sets, putting UNC's backs against the wall.

Needing a win to force a decisive fifth set, UNC raced out to a 7-2 lead. The Tar Heels then pushed the lead to 14-5. At 19-8, the Wildcats went on a 5-0 run and after a Carolina timeout scored the next six points to take the fourth set.

In the fifth set the Tar Heels were unable to capture momentum, the longest run they put together was a 2-0 run to cut the deficit to 8-6. Every time it felt like they were going to get rolling, Kansas State made a play to keep them at bay.

Kansas State took the set and the match and now UNC looks to a match with ECU on Sunday at 4 p.m. on ACCNX.