Until No. 25 Florida A&M scored its 17th point against the North Carolina volleyball team Sunday, it looked as though the match might be close.
But the Rattlers stole the next four points from the Tar Heels and never looked back, as UNC lost the momentum it had gained from its victory against Virginia Tech on Friday and fell to FAMU in three games, 30-23, 30-25, 30-20 at Carmichael Auditorium.
Florida A&M (10-2) took over the match with a nonchalant yet poised demeanor that eventually took away the Tar Heels' energy.
"Their players are very experienced," said UNC coach Joe Sagula. "Even when we got close, they just kept playing composed."
The Tar Heels (11-8, 6-1 in the ACC) took a slight lead early in the first game, as junior Dani Nyenhuis emphatically slammed down a kill to make the score 3-2.
The score remained close, with 15 ties and five lead changes before the Rattlers took the lead at 17-16 and ran away with the game.
"Every time I thought we had an opportunity to move forward, they made some good plays or we made an error," Sagula said. "The difference is with other teams we play, we put pressure on them."
North Carolina struggled with the international style of FAMU, which is made up of predominantly foreign players. The Rattlers' unique style combines unemotional and relaxed play with solid hitting and passing.
But after trailing most of the second game, North Carolina looked as though it was on the verge of a miraculous comeback. Senior Caroline deRoeck served up consecutive aces to bring the Tar Heels to within one at 22-21.