Volleyball Sweeps Weekend Tournament

UNC only trailed one other time the rest of the night and cruised to its third straight a 3-0 win.

The victory gave UNC (11-1) a two-game sweep of the 2002 Carolina/Duke Classic. The Tar Heels defeated Georgetown 3-1 on Friday night.

The win against Rutgers (9-3) was Joe Sagula's 250th as coach at UNC. Overall, he is 250-158 in 13 seasons.

Sagula said he was more concerned about the team maintaining its high level of success than individual achievements.

"To me, it's more important that we just keep winning this year -- 250 just means I've been coaching a long time," he said.

The Tar Heels came out sharp in the match Saturday, capitalizing on Rutgers' sloppy play. The Scarlet Knights committed 12 errors in the first game, as UNC rolled to a 30-18 win. Laura Greene led the way, collecting eight digs and five kills.

In the second game, UNC faced its only other deficit of the night, falling behind early, 3-5. But the Tar Heels rallied to win 9 of the next 11 points en route to a 30-25 victory.

The third game was plagued by sloppy play on both sides. Rutgers committed 16 errors, and UNC made 13. But it was an attack error that clinched the match for UNC.

In UNC's 10-2 run against Rutgers, Aletha Green had three of her game-high five kills, but it was six Knight errors that powered the run.

"I think the game got a little sloppy -- probably a little sloppier for them," Sagula said. "I think playing at Carmichael, this heat is probably getting to some people."

Overall, Greene led the team with 15 digs and Katie Wright had a team-high 11 kills, although each player was given the night off after the team took a 2-0 lead.

"Eve (Rackham) was setting me higher, so I could reach higher over their blocks," Wright said. "It didn't work sometimes earlier in the game when I got blocked, but later on she set me a little higher, and I was able to hit through the holes and over the block."

Rackham played a strong game one night after being benched in the middle of the fourth game against Georgetown.

"I thought Eve did an outstanding job for us (Saturday)," said Sagula. "I think (benching Rackham) allowed her to have a good perspective on the game and come in and get focused again."

Against Georgetown (7-4), the Tar Heels easily took the first game 30-17 and won the second 30-26. But the Hoyas came back to win the third game 25-30.

When the team fell behind early in the fourth game, Sagula replaced Rackham with McKenzie Byrd.

After a service error and a Wright kill brought UNC within one, Greene delivered three straight punishing kills, to close out a thrilling 30-28 win.

"I think that's what happens when you have seniors, and our rotation worked out where she was front row at the end of the game and she took some great swings," Sagula said.

But Malaika Underwood said she was disappointed they did not blank the Hoyas.

"We need to beat the teams that we're supposed to beat in three and take care of business," she said.

"I want our team to come out stronger and dominate these teams more," Wright said. "I know we won in three (against Rutgers), but I want to win in three, more efficiently and more soundly."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.