The UNC and Miami volleyball teams had already played one tight, back-and-forth match this year, and the two teams were locked in another tight contest Sunday afternoon in Carmichael Arena.

On a day when head coach Joe Sagula and the Tar Heels honored their senior class, the team fought the Hurricanes through four close sets before eventually falling by three sets to one.

Carolina got the match off on the right foot, taking the first set by a 25-21 score. The Tar Heels rallied from a 16-13 deficit midway through the set, using kills from Amanda Phegley and Kaya Merkler to flip the script. A 12-5 extended run to end the set gave UNC the victory. Despite the four-point margin, it would prove to be the most lopsided set in the match.

Miami appeared poised to put away the second set, standing just two points away from victory at 23-19. But Nia Parker-Robinson celebrated her Senior Day by slamming down three kills in a 4-0 mini-run by the Tar Heels, evening the set at 23-23 and putting Carolina two points away from a commanding 2-0 set lead. Miami earned a set point at 24-23, but a service error kept UNC alive. Another Hurricanes set point quickly followed, which they converted to take the second set, 26-24.

The third set went even longer, with Carolina fighting off five set points down the stretch, the last of which evened the score at 27-27. But the Tar Heels could never get over the hump, and Miami capitalized on errors by Mabrey Shaffmaster and Meghan Neelon to finally put away the third set, 29-27.

Miami nearly ran away with things in the fourth set, leading 23-17 before a 5-1 UNC run closed the gap to just two points. Once again, the Hurricanes came through in the clutch, putting away the feisty Tar Heels and winning the grueling match in four sets.

The loss drops UNC to 20-8 on the year and 9-8 in ACC play, though the Tar Heels remain in good shape to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. Their regular season finale will come on Black Friday, when the team will travel down Tobacco Road to visit Duke. Carolina swept the Blue Devils in Carmichael Arena in October.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

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