Wolfpack Defeats UNC in Four in Chapel Hill

Sunday, October 29

Chapel Hill, NC

4pm

NC State

17-6,7-5ACC

North Carolina

10-11,4-8ACC

NC State

North Carolina

10/29/2023 6:43:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL. N.C. – For the first time in 25 years, the Wolfpack volleyball program (17-6, 7-5) defeated UNC (10-11, 4-8) in Chapel Hill. The 3-1 win by the Pack also ended the Tar Heels five-match winning streak in the series.

The Wolfpack didn't waste any time and jumped out to a 5-0 lead to start the first set. The Tar Heels took an early timeout in attempts to regroup but were unable to tame the Pack until a 4-0 run brought them within one. Despite tying the set on three different occasions, UNC was unable to gain the lead. Senior libero Skye Stokes recorded back-to-back aces to help the Wolfpack maintain the lead and eventually take the first set 25-21.

UNC took its first lead of the afternoon after opening the second frame with a 4-2 run that the Wolfpack struggled to overcome. A block by Madison Williams and Riley Shaak minimized the Tar Heel lead to one. From there it was a back-and-forth battle, with no team leading by more than two points. A kill by junior Amanda Rice gave the Pack its first lead of the set and the team built up a five point lead, forcing UNC to call timeout. NC State took the set, 25-20, with both Rice and sophomore Ava Brizard totaling eight kills.

UNC opened the third set with a 9-4 lead, forcing head coach Luka Slabe to call timeout in hopes of regrouping the Pack. The Tar Heels recorded a service error immediately after the timeout, helping to end their scoring run. The Wolfpack minimized the Tar Heels' lead to two after a block assist by Shaak and Williams. Senior setter Naomi Cabello decided to shake things up and do a setter dump to give the Pack its 16th point. UNC ended up taking the third set 25-23, despite the late efforts of the Wolfpack.

Entering the fourth frame, Rice tallied 14 kills and was hitting .500 on the afternoon. The two teams continued to battle, tying the fourth set on 14 different occasions. Despite late efforts by the Tar Heels, NC State came out victorious, 25-23.

Rice finished the afternoon with 20 kills to mark the second 20-kill match of her career. She also added three blocks to her stat line. Brizard finished with 16 kills and added five digs on the afternoon. Fifth year setter Kristen McDaniel recorded 31 assists on the afternoon, in addition to nine digs. Stokes recorded another match with at least one service ace as she finished the afternoon with two and led the team with 15 digs.

The Wolfpack will return to Reynolds Coliseum to host Boston College and Syracuse for week seven of conference play.