Carolina earned home wins against in-state rivals Wake Forest and NC State at Carmichael Arena during the weekend, sending the Tar Heels off to a 2-0 start in ACC play this season.

Against the Demon Deacons on Friday, the Tar Heels led from the start in a three-set sweep. A 5-0 run late in the first set helped UNC pull away, and kills from Jackie Taylor and Hailey Pearce secured the 25-19 win. The Tar Heels trailed 21-20 in the second set, but used kills from Taylor and Safi Hampton to jumpstart a 5-1 run which flipped set for Carolina. Laynie Smith provided the finishing touches on the 25-21 UNC win. It was a much more comfortable third set, as UNC used another 5-0 run to expand an 18-15 lead to 23-15 on its way to finishing off the sweep.

Hampton led the way for Carolina with 13 total kills, while Smith and Chelsea Thorpe combined for 16.

Sunday afternoon against NC State, UNC dropped the opening set after the Wolfpack won five of the final seven points to win 25-19. The Tar Heels turned the tide in the second set, using a 6-0 run to open up a 22-13 lead and cruise to a 25-15 win. In a competitive third set, Carolina never won more than four consecutive points but still found a way to win, as Hampton and Thorpe delivered clutch kills to secure the 25-21 win and a 2-1 set advantage.

The Tar Heels led for much of the fourth set but had to sweat out the ending. A kill from Hampton put UNC on the brink with three match points, but the Wolfpack won each of the next two to close to within 24-23. But NC State’s momentum died on an attacking error, sealing the four-set win for UNC. It was a measure of revenge for the Tar Heels, who lost in four sets to the Wolfpack in Raleigh last fall.

The two wins improve UNC to 9-2 overall, 2-0 in ACC play and 7-1 in Chapel Hill this season. Up next, the Tar Heels will play back-to-back matches against Duke, with the first coming in Carmichael Arena Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. Carolina will then travel to Durham to face the Blue Devils Saturday at 2 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Dalton T. Wainscott

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