Seniors Strive for 4th Straight ACC Title

And they don't plan on changing that this year.

"Really, we're not thinking about whether we're going to lose it, we're just getting ready to win it -- that's all," said senior outside hitter Malaika Underwood.

The leadership the four seniors -- Underwood, last year's tournament MVP, as well as Laura Greene, Holly Strauss and Eve Rackham -- supply the Tar Heels will be one of the biggest advantages UNC (28-2, 15-1 in the ACC) will have in the tourney.

"It takes having been there to learn how to win," UNC coach Joe Sagula said. "That's the biggest thing we have going for us. It is a significant factor -- learning how to get to the championship and how to handle that pressure."

Although the team expects nothing less than to bring another championship trophy back with them, Greene said UNC knows better than to look past their first opponent.

UNC will play the winner of tonight's match between eighth-seeded Virginia and ninth-seeded N.C. State on Friday.

Both teams struggled this season, but Greene said that still presents a challenge.

"You have to play the number eight or nine team," Greene said, "and that's sometimes harder than playing four versus five because sometimes there's that letdown, so we have to make sure we're on top of it and focused."

Sagula said he knows the team can handle the pressure of being the favorite because they have been doing so all year.

"It seemed like everybody played their best match against us," Sagula said. "Why? Because we were ranked. We're used to taking everybody's best shot."

UNC lost only to Florida State in a five-game battle on Oct. 27, but the Tar Heels swept the Seminoles at home last weekend. The biggest threat to dethrone the Tar Heels is No. 2 seed and host Georgia Tech. UNC swept its regular season series with Tech, although the Yellow Jackets pushed them to five games in both matches.

"It's no easier or harder to lose three times to a team in a season," Sagula said. "When you go to the tournament, the score is 0-0."

But Greene said the team, and especially the seniors, anticipates nothing less than the same result as the last three seasons.

"I think it would be selling ourselves short if we didn't finish it off right," Greene said. "I don't expect us to lose anyway."

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