Dec. 5 - The North Carolina volleyball team overcame ridiculous odds this season, capturing the ACC title and returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002.
Even though the Tar Heels fell to the College of Charleston in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, their season wasn't just about their improbable ACC title run.
It's about Dani Nyenhuis and Joe Sagula winning ACC Player and Coach of the Year awards, respectively. It's about four seniors responding to pressure and making one last push for glory.
For almost the entire season, UNC (23-10, 18-4 in the ACC) trailed Maryland in the ACC standings. In their first meeting, in College Park, the Terrapins downed the Tar Heels in four games.
Maryland relinquished its conference lead, although, by dropping consecutive matches to Duke and Wake Forest late in the season, seemingly opening the door for UNC.
But the Tar Heels gave the control right back, losing to both Miami and Florida State. Only two matches remained on the schedule: Boston College and Maryland.
"We had our backs up against the wall," says Coach Joe Sagula. "We had to be perfect."
By beating B.C., 3-1, North Carolina stayed one match behind Maryland in the ACC.
In order to claim the ACC crown, the Tar Heels not only needed to defeat the Terrapins, they needed a shutout. Only by winning in three games could UNC win the tiebreaker, which is decided by overall head-to-head games won.
