The UNC volleyball team earned a pair of four-set wins in Conway, S.C. during the weekend against Maryland and hosts Coastal Carolina to begin the 2025 season.
In the season opener against the Terrapins Saturday, the Tar Heels rebounded from a 25-21 defeat in the opening seat to win the next three sets all by 25-17 scores. Safi Hampton led the way with 14 kills, while Virginia Tech transfer Hailey Pearce and Illinois transfer Laynie Smith each finished with 11. Smith is from Durham and attended Chapel Hill High School before spending her freshman season with the Fighting Illini. Pearce registered the final kill of the match to seal the win.
Against Coastal Carolina Sunday, UNC once again dropped the opening set, this time by a 25-23 score. And as on Friday, the Tar Heels bounced back with comfortable wins in the next three sets: 25-18, 25-16 and 25-17. Hampton collected 14 more kills and an ace, while Pearce and redshirt junior Chelsea Thorpe added 10 apiece. The Chanticleers saved five straight match points in the fourth set, whittling a 24-12 UNC lead down to 24-17, but the Tar Heels clinched the match on a service error to move to 2-0 on the season. It’s the program’s third straight 2-0 start under head coach Mike Schall.
UNC will return to Chapel Hill and host its home opener at Carmichael Arena against Bucknell Friday, September 5 at 7 p.m.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Nate Skvoretz
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