The UNC volleyball team got back on the right side of the score sheet Friday afternoon, picking up their second win of the year over Virginia Tech and breaking a two-match losing streak.

An 8-1 Carolina run in the first set helped the Tar Heels pull away from the Hokies, with kills by Mabrey Shaffmaster and Nia Parker-Robinson fueling the 25-13 win.

But Virginia Tech turned the match on its head in the second, dominating Carolina from the start and never trailing throughout the frame. Already up 17-10, an 8-1 run by the Hokies closed out the set in style and sent UNC back to the drawing board in a humbling 25-11 defeat.

The third set was by far the most competitive of the match, with each run being answered in kind by the other side. Carolina held an 11-8 lead midway through the set, but strong play from the Hokies powered the hosts to a 22-19 lead. They stood just three points away from taking a two-sets-to-one lead.

That’s when Nia Parker-Robinson took over, slamming down four immense kills in a match-changing 6-1 Carolina run, stealing momentum back from the Hokies and taking the critical third set, 25-23.

The Tar Heels kept things rolling in the fourth, taking a 15-9 lead and keeping Virginia Tech at arm’s length throughout the frame. Two more kills from Shaffmaster closed out the set and the match, and Carolina earned its sixth road win of the season. UNC is an impressive 9-3 away from Carmichael Arena this year.

“It’s been a roller coaster [this season],” Parker-Robinson said after the match. “We’ve had some injuries and some ups and downs. But I’m really proud of this match, because we had a little dip in the middle and we fought out of it, and I don’t think that’s something we’ve seen from our team before.”

Unsurprisingly, Parker-Robinson led the Tar Heels on the day with 16 kills. Shaffmaster followed with 12, while also putting in work with 20 digs. Carolina improves to 19-7 on the season with the victory and 8-7 in ACC play, and will look to avenge an earlier defeat to Virginia when they visit the Cavaliers on Sunday.

 

Featured image via Virginia Tech Athletics

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