The UNC volleyball team snapped its losing streak with a pair of wins against Santa Clara and Coastal Carolina over the weekend at Carmichael Arena.

Against the Broncos on Friday, the Tar Heels found themselves down 17-14 midway through the first set but ended on an 11-5 run to earn a hard-fought 1-0 lead in the match. A pair of kills by Mabrey Shaffmaster helped Carolina break a 20-20 tie for the 25-22 first-set win. Santa Clara evened the match in the second set, but UNC nosed back in front with a dominant third set and then outlasted the Broncos in a tight fourth. Santa Clara fought off four consecutive match points, but a kill from Carolina’s Romani Thurman finally put the match to bed and clinched the 3-1 win. Thurman finished with 11 kills on the night, third on the team behind Shaffmaster and Emani’ Foster.

On Sunday, Carolina once again found itself in a tight opening set against the Chanticleers. Coastal Carolina stayed with UNC throughout and got as close as 24-23, but a kill by Foster closed out the set in favor of the hosts. A 5-0 run from Coastal late in the second set trimmed a 22-16 UNC lead down to 22-21, but the Tar Heels responded with a 3-0 run to win the set. Carolina then pulled away in a dominant third set, using a kill by Shaffmaster on match point to seal the deal.

UNC is now completely done with non-conference play in the regular season. The Tar Heels will open ACC play against Virginia on Friday at 6 p.m. in Chapel Hill.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Anthony Sorbellini

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
This Week in UNC Sports: September 14-20, 2026
The upcoming week offers several high-caliber matchups for multiple UNC teams both at home and on the road.
UNC Sports: Field Hockey, Women's Soccer Win; Volleyball Loses in New York
Several UNC women’s sports teams were in action up and down the east coast Sunday. In Virginia, the field hockey team earned a 2-1 win at Richmond, while down in Chapel Hill the women’s soccer team cruised to a 5-0 win at Dorrance Field against NJIT. Meanwhile, up in New York City, the volleyball team […]
UNC Volleyball Swept at No. 3 Kentucky, Suffers First Loss of 2026 Season
UNC fell in three sets to No. 3 Kentucky on the road in Lexington Wednesday night, suffering its first loss of the 2026 season. The Wildcats dominated the first set, winning 16 of the final 21 points on their way to a 25-11 victory. Carolina was more competitive in the final two sets, but ultimately […]
UNC Volleyball Beats JMU, Survives Colorado State Comeback to Earn 2 Home Wins
UNC stayed undefeated in 2026 with a four-set win against James Madison Thursday and a five-set thriller against Colorado State Friday, both in Carmichael Arena. The Tar Heels dropped the first set against the Dukes Thursday despite winning the first three points. JMU flipped a 7-5 deficit into a 14-9 lead midway through the set, […]
This Week in UNC Sports: August 31-September 6, 2026
This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. The first week of September means that fall sports are well and truly […]
UNC Volleyball Begins 2026 Season With Consecutive Sweep Victories
The UNC volleyball team is off to a 2-0 start to the 2026 season after straight set victories at Davidson Saturday and at home against UNC-Wilmington Sunday. Opening the season with a true road match for the first time since 2022, the Tar Heels trailed for much of the first set against the Wildcats. Davidson […]
UNC Volleyball Picked 5th in ACC Preseason Poll; 2 Tar Heels Receive All-ACC Honors
UNC has been picked to finish fifth in the ACC’s preseason volleyball poll, and Tar Heels Chelsea Thorpe and Safi Hampton both were named to the league’s preseason All-ACC team. Thorpe enters the final season of her collegiate career after posing 318 kills and 90 blocks in 2025, while Hampton’s 399 kills led the team. […]
UNC Volleyball Releases 2026 Regular Season Schedule
The UNC volleyball program has released its schedule for the 2026 season, the fourth under the leadership of head coach Mike Schall. The Tar Heels are looking to build upon a 2025 season which saw them advance to the NCAA Tournament’s second round. The full slate is set😤 pic.twitter.com/BEs2INXji6 — Carolina Volleyball (@UNCVolleyball) July 14, […]
Check out the Full Schedule for UNC's ACC Network Takeover
The ACC Network will air a full day of UNC games from the 2025-26 academic year Wednesday, July 1. It’s part of a series of ACC Network Takeovers, which started June 24 and include all 18 member schools. UNC’s takeover includes wall-to-wall coverage from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. The broadcast day gets underway with […]
UNC Volleyball's 2025 Season Ends vs. No. 3 Wisconsin in NCAA Tournament
No. 3 seed Wisconsin swept UNC in three sets in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night in Madison. Carolina’s 2025 season is over. The Badgers dominated the first set and won 25-14, earning an early advantage in the match. But the Tar Heels stayed close in the second, cutting what had been […]
›