If the first few matches are any indication, the Mike Schall era of the UNC volleyball program will be full of twists and turns.

Schall earned his first wins as head coach of the Tar Heels over the weekend in Arizona, as Carolina went 2-1 at the Cactus Classic in Tucson. Both of UNC’s wins came in a marathon doubleheader on Friday, as the Tar Heels went to five sets with both Pacific and tournament hosts Arizona and won the decisive sets each time. UC Davis defeated UNC in four sets the next day.

Schall’s Tar Heels got off to a fast start in the opener against the Powercats, taking the first set 27-25 after fighting off two set points. The teams then traded 25-22 sets, with Pacific taking the second, UNC winning the third and Pacific responding in the fourth to force a first-to-15 fifth set. Carolina opened up a 9-5 lead in the decider and held on for dear life as Pacific sliced the deficit to a point multiple times, including fighting off a 14-12 set point. An unforced error from the Powercats gave the match to the Tar Heels and gave Schall his first career win.

It would be another barnburner later that night against the Wildcats. UNC appeared to be in control after winning each of the first two sets, but Arizona saved a match point in the third and gutted out a 26-24 win in the set to force a fourth. The hosts’ momentum carried on through that fourth set, as the Wildcats ran away with it to send the match to a fifth. UNC once again couldn’t convert a match point, but recovered and came through on the third time of asking to finally put the Wildcats away. The Tar Heels played 433 points of volleyball on the day.

After the four-set loss on Saturday, UNC will return to Chapel Hill 2-1, with the home opener against West Virginia scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. in Carmichael Arena.

 

Featured image via UNC Volleyball on Twitter

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