Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Earning its first sweep over North Carolina since 2006, the Virginia Tech volleyball team defeated the Tar Heels 3-0 on Friday night at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum.
The Hokies (11-4, 2-1 ACC), who won 10 matches last fall, have already eclipsed last year's mark and took down the Tar Heels (5-8, 1-3 ACC) for the first time since 2011 behind sophomore Kaity Smith's team-high 16 kills and six digs.
Starting the match off hot, Tech went up 12-4 to force a North Carolina timeout. Out of the break, the Hokies extended their lead and ended up winning by 10 points, 25-15. In the first set, Tech hit a blistering .577 with Smith owning four kills and sophomore Ester Talamazzi with four, too.
Knotted at 11-11 to begin the second frame, the Hokies scored five straight, causing a Tar Heels' timeout. UNC would trim the deficit, though, cutting it to a three-point set at 22-19. But Tech would get the final three points following two kills from Smith to win it, 25-19.
Redshirt senior Rhegan Mitchell and sophomore Kai Young recorded back-to-back blocks and Smith put down three kills in a row to give Tech a 17-12 advantage, forcing a North Carolina timeout. The Tar Heels would come all the way back and tie it at 22-all, but the Hokies' senior Jaila Tolbert and Young had the final say as the pair tallied a combination block to seal it, 25-23.
North Carolina was paced by Ava Bell's six kills and five blocks.
(9/28/2018) 2018 VOLLEYBALL vs. NORTH CAROLINA
NOTES
- Last year against Carolina, Smith registered her most kills in ACC play with 19 kills, and tonight, she showed up big once again and had 15-plus kills. The Kentucky native also had two assists and service aces.
- Mitchell filled up the stat sheet collecting 30 assists, six digs, four blocks and three kills. Two of her kills were beautifully placed in the back corner of the court.
- Talamazzi ended the night with seven kills and 12 digs. The 12 digs marked her seventh match this season with 10 or more.
- Tolbert turned in nine kills, an assist and two blocks, while hitting .368. The Minnesota native now has hit north of .300 in 11 matches this season.
- Setter Sarah Jane Lynch scooped up a career-high three digs, and libero Carol Raffety posted a team-high 14 digs to move to No. 14 all-time for career digs in program history, passing Rachel Julian (1996-99).
QUOTING HEAD COACH JILL WILSON
On sweeping North Carolina and the team's performance in doing so:
"I'm very proud of our team and how aggressively they came out in every single set," Tech Head Coach Jill Wilson said. "We've been talking about it for the last couple weeks. I'm really proud of how every single person played a role on the bench and on the court tonight."
On the offensive running efficiently:
"I thought our passers did a great job of setting the tempo," Wilson said. "And Rhegan [Mitchell] did a great job of finding our hitters some open spots to hit. As our quarterback, she did an excellent job in leading tonight."
On how this momentum will help against NC State on Sunday:
"I think it gives our team confidence that they are improved, playing better and it's not going to be the way it always is," Wilson said. "I'm really excited to see them keep growing in their confidence."
STAT OF THE MATCH
- Tech held UNC to a hitting percentage of .058, marking the fifth time this season it has held its opponents to under a .100 clip. In those five matches, the Hokies are a perfect 5-0.
TWEET OF THE MATCH
Set 3 | Smith chalks up another!
— Virginia Tech Volleyball (@HokiesVB) September 28, 2018
The sophomore gets her 14th of the match to give us a 14-10 lead pic.twitter.com/txJteuQhE9
WHAT IS NEXT
- The Hokies will play at home again on Sunday, taking on NC State (7-6, 1-2 ACC) at 1 p.m. ET at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum. The match will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra with Bailey Angle and Jake Lawrence on the call.