UNC volleyball gains second conference win in a row at Clemson

The UNC volleyball team (5-6, 2-1 ACC) was impressive offensively against the Clemson Tigers (5-10, 0-3 ACC) in their first away win this season. 

What happened?

North Carolina started off strong with a quick opening set win. The Tar Heels’ offense showed out with 10 kills in the set.

“For us to come in strong and be successful in the first set and play well, that really gave us some confidence," said head coach Joe Sagula.

After a hard-fought second set, UNC dropped one to the Tigers after trading points at the very end, eventually falling 23-25. This was the only set the Tar Heels lost, coming back and dominating in the back end of the match. 

The Tar Heels took the next two sets easily after drawing on their momentum from the end of the second set, pulling together as a team to squash any offensive effort from Clemson. 

“When we raise our level of defense, we’re a much harder team to beat,” said Sagula. 

Who stood out?

Redshirt sophomore Sydnye Fields continued to lead the Tar Heel offense in this match, finishing with 13 kills and eight blocks. 

Redshirt first-year Holly Carlton stepped up for UNC by racking up 11 digs and 27 assists, acting as the core for the Tar Heels defensively in this match. 

Sagula noted her strong effort, stating, “She made some really good plays on defense, which I was really impressed with.” 

When was it decided?

Even after the first set, it was obvious that UNC was playing with a newfound confidence on the road. However, the result wasn’t evident until the third set, when the Tar Heels pulled away 25-19. 

Why does it matter?

This game marks UNC’s second conference win in a row, building confidence for the young team after a string of unfortunate injuries. 

“It’s going to do nothing but help us,” said coach Sagula. “It’s really important to get a road win.”  

Sagula went on to explain how a road victory counts for only one win in the standing, but counts for much more emotionally for a young team like UNC. 

When do they play next?

The Tar Heels continue their series of conference games with a match at Georgia Tech this Sunday at 3 p.m. 

@_jakeschmitz

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