UNC women's volleyball picks up critical 3-1 victory at Virginia Tech to snap losing skid

The North Carolina volleyball team (10-7, 2-4 ACC)  defeated Virginia Tech (9-8, 2-4 ACC) by a score of 3-1 on Sunday in a critical conference road matchup.

What happened?

The first set was tightly contested throughout and even tied late at 20 each. Junior middle hitter Kaya Merkler and sophomore outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster propelled the Tar Heels early, scoring four of the team’s first 10 points. 

After that stretch, Shaffmaster continued to dominate, scoring five of UNC’s next 10 points en route to a 20-20 tie late in the set. The Tar Heels committed four errors with the game tied at 20, which proved to be too many to overcome as UNC lost the first set 25-22. 

The Tar Heels got back on track in the second set. The set was close until late, when the Tar Heels pulled away on the shoulders of an all-around team effort and stout defensive play. With the score tied at 17, five different Tar Heels scored to help UNC go on an 8-2 run to seal the second-set victory.  

UNC carried its momentum from the second set over into the third set, leading to a dominant 25-15 third-set victory. Graduate outside hitter Charley Niego led the way for UNC, accounting for two service aces, three kills and a block assist. It was Shaffmaster, however, that sealed the win, scoring the last two kills of the set to give UNC the victory and a 2-1 edge in the match. 

In the fourth set, UNC kept its defensive clamps tight, holding the Hokies to just 16 points and committing three blocks en route to a 25-16 victory. Niego and Shaffmaster continued to dominate for the Tar Heels, accounting for four and five kills, respectively. However, UNC got a nice boost from Virginia Tech’s sloppy play, as the Hokies committed five errors in the set. 

Shaffmaster again sealed the deal for the Tar Heels by scoring the last two kills of the match to give UNC the set and match win. 

Who stood out? 

UNC’s match against Virginia Tech marks Shaffmaster’s seventh-straight game with double-digit kills with 22 in Sunday’s match. Against the Hookies’ she registered a kill percentage of nearly 50 percent while contributing 14 digs.

Fellow outside hitter Niego also had a strong outing, recording 17 kills and 16 digs in the Tar Heels’ winning effort. First-year libero Maddy May continued her impressive play by setting a career high in digs with 22. 

When was it decided?

While it may have appeared that UNC had the match secured after winning two-straight sets to take a 2-1 advantage, the Tar Heels likely weren’t comfortable about their chances of winning until about midway through the fourth set. 

UNC went on a 9-2 run while leading 13-11 to give the team a commanding 22-13 lead. Then, the Tar Heels easily handled the Hokies’ comeback attempts to clinch the win.

Why does it matter?

Before their victory, the Tar Heels had won just one of their first five matches against ACC opponents, so winning this match was significant in terms of getting back on track in conference play. 

While the victory alone likely won’t cause an immediate change in UNC’s standing in the ACC, it will help keep the team afloat in the standings until they’re able to play more consistently. 

When do they play next?

The Tar Heels’ next match will be Friday at 6 p.m. in Carmichael Arena, where they will take on Boston College. 

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com