In the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, the North Carolina volleyball team (5-2) dealt the Michigan State Spartans (6-1) their first loss of the season, 3-0, at Carmichael Arena on Friday evening.
What happened?
Powerful kills from MSU outside hitter Maradith O’Gorman bolstered a quick 5-0 run to open up the first set. The early momentum shifted when UNC senior outside hitter Parker Austin landed a service ace, followed by back-to-back kills from graduate outside hitter Charley Niego. O’Gorman responded with another kill.
The Tar Heels, now rejuvenated, strung together a 4-1 run, backed by two powerful swings to the right side from junior middle hitter Kaya Merkler. After a quiet early set, sophomore outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster got on the board with two kills to put UNC up 12-9. Just before the first media timeout, Merkler and Austin blocked a hit from MSU outside hitter Aliyah Moore.
The front line tandem of Merkler and Austin continued to stifle the Spartans’ attack, with Merkler picking up another block to give North Carolina a 20-12 lead. Another service ace from Austin helped close out the first set, 25-16.
UNC opened up the second set with a quick 5-2 start, and with three kills each from Shaffmaster and Niego, the Tar Heels held a 15-10 lead at the media timeout. The Spartans stormed back with a 5-1 run including forcing two attacking errors from UNC first-year setter Anita Babic. A service ace from UNC first-year setter Ella Bostic helped slow MSU’s momentum.
A sequence of tight rallies led to both teams taking timeouts towards the end of set two. Niego tallied back-to-back kills to start a 5-0 run that closed out the set 25-19. Then, Merkler picked up her fifth block of the night and fifth kill on the subsequent play.
Both teams slowed down in the third set, electing to tip more than spike their shots. Tied at 6-6, Shaffmaster and Merkler amped up the aggression with a kill each, but the Spartans matched the Tar Heels’ pace and maintained a two-score deficit throughout. Merkler maintained her commanding presence on the right side, adding two more kills before the media timeout.
Shaffmaster committed a blocking error, followed by an attacking error that allowed the Spartans to take the lead, 16-15. UNC and MSU continued to trade scores. With the set tied at 19-19, Moore sent a speedy cross-court spike for a score and Merkler had an attack error as she attempted to deny MSU setter Julia Bishop’s hit.
