UNC Clinches Top Seed in Tourney With Win

After beating Virginia 3-1 in Carmichael Auditorium, No. 12 UNC clinched the top seed in the upcoming ACC tournament.

But the regular season is not over for North Carolina, which has games left against unranked Florida State and Maryland this weekend.

This is a benefit to the Tar Heels (26-2, 13-1 in the ACC), because it gives them time to remedy an occasional lack of focus and a shaky ability to close out games before the conference tournament begins on Nov. 21.

Tuesday's match against Virginia (7-24, 1-14) highlighted the Tar Heels' potential problem areas.

"We didn't play like we wanted to tonight, and that's the big thing," said UNC's Malaika Underwood said. "We've got to come in the next couple days of practice and get ready for a big weekend this weekend ... so we've got a lot of work to do."

North Carolina played just well enough to win game one, 30-27. Unusually sloppy defense by the Tar Heels allowed UVa. to compile an attack percentage of .349. The back line was hampered because libero Caroline deRoeck was playing through back problems that caused her to sit out games two and three.

The Tar Heels' poor defense allowed the Cavaliers to stay with UNC for much of the first game, which they tied at 25 before the Tar Heels pulled away for a 30-27 win.

Game two was a different story. UNC led from start to finish, opening the game with a 9-3 run and never looking back in the 30-24 victory. Middle hitter Aletha Green set a school record with an .857 attack percentage.

UNC coach Joe Sagula started only one senior in game three -- setter Eve Rackham. The Tar Heels looked out of sorts and made uncharacteristic mental errors, such as back row penalties and rotation violations.

It wasn't until Virginia led 25-20 that UNC showed any signs of life. The Tar Heels scored four straight points to pull to within one at 25-24. But Virginia closed out the 30-25 win with a 5-1 run.

After dropping the third game, North Carolina came out with renewed vigor in game four. Sagula put his starters back out on the floor, and they responded, winning the game 30-24 by stepping up their defensive efforts. UNC recorded 24 digs and 5 blocks while limiting UVa. to a miniscule .074 attack percentage.

UNC's players are well aware of their problems and are looking to move ahead.

"It's different each game," Underwood said. "Sometimes it's because the people who have started the game aren't focused enough to finish the third game. And then sometimes it's because people on the bench, who come in in the third game aren't focused and ready to play and contribute to the team. It's kind of a letdown by the whole team in not being focused and not really finishing a game off."

Sagula outlined some possible ways to keep his team on track.

"We're looking into doing some tactical things in games to maybe change that," he said. "Maybe rotate a little differently, maybe put a different person in to change the rhythm of the game which might change enough that it can kind of get us over the hump. I'd like to win 3-0 against teams like we did against Duke. But we need to go from good to better to best, as opposed to from great to great to OK."

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