The UNC volleyball team picked up its fourth win of the season and second away from home Tuesday night, defeating Charlotte in four sets.
After dropping a close first set, the Tar Heels won the next three in a row by a total of nine points. Notre Dame transfer Charley Niego continued her star turn in her final season of collegiate eligibility, leading Carolina with a season-high 20 kills and .311 hitting percentage. Reigning ACC Freshman of the Year Mabrey Shaffmaster wasn’t far behind with 19 kills against the 49ers. No other Tar Heel had more than 10.
UNC trailed by as many as six points in the second set and were just four points away from a two-set deficit at 21-19, but then rallied to win the final six points of the set to even up the match. Carolina took an early 4-1 lead in the third, and though the 49ers put the pressure on at 24-23, the Tar Heels never trailed in the frame.
A 6-0 run in the fourth set swung the match in UNC’s favor, and a kill from Shaffmaster finished off the victory.
Carolina has now won three straight matches after a 1-2 start, and faces a big weekend at Carmichael Arena. Michigan State and Michigan will each visit Chapel Hill as part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. First serve against the Spartans is scheduled for Friday night at 6 p.m., and the match will be televised on ACC Network. The match with the Wolverines will get underway Saturday night at 6 p.m. UNC won in Ann Arbor last season.
Featured image via UNC Volleyball on Twitter
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