CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Wrapping up its four-match road swing, the Virginia Tech volleyball team fell to North Carolina 3-1 on Sunday afternoon inside Carmichael Arena.
The Hokies (7-10, 0-4 ACC), who were hoping to beat the Tar Heels (5-9, 2-2) for the second match in a row for the first time since 2006, battled with 28 ties and 13 lead changes taking place in the contest.
Three players posted double-digit kills – freshman Cera Powell (13), junior Kaity Smith (12) and junior Marisa Cerchio (11) – while sophomore Talyn Jackson recorded 42 assists and freshman Logan Mosley tallied 21 digs.
THE MATCH
Trailing in a hole at 12-6 to begin the match, Tech called a timeout and proceeded to chip away at the deficit, getting back-to-back kills by Smith to trim it to four at 15-11. But Carolina responded with a run of its own, extending its lead to eight, 22-14. The Hokies put together a string of points, scoring six of the next nine, but would fall 25-20.
Starting the second set with a 2-0 lead after a kill by Powell, the frame would go back and forth with no team taking a greater lead than one, featuring an amazing 17 ties, all the way up to 20-18 Tech. The Hokies would fight off the Heels the next few points, getting a thundering kill by Powell to win it 25-22.
The third stanza got off to a sour start for Tech, trailing by as many as seven points at 19-12. But Tech showed its resiliency, storming back and scoring eight of the next nine points to tie it up at 20-all, thanks to three kills by freshman Anabel Zier. However, UNC went on a 5-2 run to claim it 25-22.
Knotted at 8-8 to begin the fourth set, the Hokies went on a 7-3 run to take a four-point lead at 15-11 into the media timeout. However, the Heels fought back and tied it up at 18-all. Sophomore Angel Robinson showed up though in a big way, getting a kill and following it up with a solo block to give Tech a one-point lead, 21-20. But Carolina ended it with a 5-0 run to win 25-21.
NOTES
- After Friday's match against NC State (6-10, 1-3) marked the first time this season that Tech had four players own at least nine kills in match, the Hokies did it again with Cerchio, Powell, Smith and Zier having nine or more.
- Speaking of Zier, the Blacksburg native set a career-high hitting percentage of .529 on a 9-0-17 (K-E-A) mark. Her nine kills also were her second straight match of exactly nine, marking her best two-match stretch of total kills with 18.
- Smith scooped up a career-high 16 digs for the second consecutive contest, marking her second double-double of the season and second straight. She now has 16 double-doubles in her storied career.
- Robinson, who earned her first start of the season and eighth of her career, chipped in five kills and a block. The five kills were her second most this fall (7 vs. Liberty, Sept. 7).
- Mosley registered another 20-dig performance, something that has been a mainstay in 2019 (seven this season). The libero, playing back in her home state this weekend, racked up 47 digs on the weekend, averaging 5.22 digs per set.
UP NEXT
Tech will head back to Blacksburg and play in front of Hokie Nation for the first time in league action this upcoming weekend, playing host to Clemson (6-9, 0-4) on Friday and Georgia Tech (8-7, 1-3) on Sunday at Carilion Clinic Court at Cassell Coliseum. Both matches will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.Gallery: (10/6/2019) 2019 VOLLEYBALL AT NORTH CAROLINA