Volleyball Seeks Consistency in NCAAs

Whether the Tar Heels show up is a whole other issue.

At different times throughout its 2001 campaign, UNC (23-8) has looked like two different teams. After going 4-4 to open the season, the Tar Heels won 13 straight, going undefeated from Sept. 16 to Oct. 21.

"I think that time of the year we really established ourselves defensively," said UNC coach Joe Sagula. "There were a lot of people that were playing well. Our outside hitters were really scoring a lot of points for us, and our middles were starting to really establish themselves inside."

Maryland ended the Tar Heels' run, downing UNC

3-2 on Oct. 21. After the loss, the Tar Heels went 2-4 to finish the regular season, losing to four other teams they had beaten while rising to the top of the ACC standings.

"If you play with emotion and you work hard, you give yourself a chance to be successful," Sagula said. "And in some of those games we didn't."

While pointing out how hard it is for a team to stay at a consistently high level, middle blocker Holly Strauss admitted the team lacked "everyone giving full heart."

Still, Strauss said the team was confident entering the ACC Tournament.

"We knew we were the best team in the ACC. We just had to go out there and prove it," Strauss said.

And prove it they did. The Tar Heels beat Clemson, Maryland and FSU to claim their third straight ACC championship. The title gave them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, in which they received their first-ever home match.

For the Tar Heels to advance past the first round, the team will need to play with emotion for the entire match, something it didn't do when South Carolina (20-5) came back from a loss in game one to defeat UNC on Nov. 23.

"We let them come back and beat us," said ACC Tournament MVP Malaika Underwood. "We played well in a volleyball sense. They showed us everything they had, but we haven't showed them everything we have, so I think we have a good chance."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.