Heels claim top spot in ACC with sweep

As North Carolina and Duke volleyball teams prepared for their second match of the season" the Tar Heels got off to a very bad start.

When freshman setter Erica Behm heard her name announced in the starting lineup she trotted in front of her teammates slapping hands" and tripped over junior middle hitter Christine Vaughen's foot.

""I really thought she was going to walk over and say" ‘All right I'm OK. I'm going to be all right"'"" coach Joe Sagula said. ""And she said"" ‘I can't go.'""

Behm left the floor to go to the locker room with a sprained ankle and did not return until after the first set.

The injury couldn't have occurred in a more important match as the Tar Heels stood atop the conference standings before the game"" tied with the Blue Devils and the Clemson Tigers.

The Smith Center had the feel of a basketball rivalry game as students cheered from the risers on the floor as Duke and UNC battled for first place in the ACC.

The basketball goals even were set up in preparation for the Preseason WNIT.

""I don't remember a rival match being one for first (place)"" coach Joe Sagula said.

Normally, losing its starting setter would be a crushing blow for a team fighting its rival for first place, but UNC has an insurance policy — senior setter Stephanie Jansma, a two-year starter.

It's not like we had to go from a senior to a freshman who had no experience"" Sagula said. We went to maybe a strength.""

Jansma" who has experience holding her team's fate in her hands" was not fazed when she found out only minutes before the game that she would have take the lion's share of the sets.

""It wasn't anything I couldn't handle"" Jansma said.

Sagula acknowledged that the freak accident worked out OK in the end for his team because one of UNC's goals heading into the match was to set the middle hitters early, Jansma's strength.

Sure enough, Jansma led the Tar Heels to victory, sweeping the Blue Devils in three tightly contested sets, 27-25, 25-23, 25-21. Duke's loss ended a three-match winning streak and a five-match winning streak against UNC.

We haven't beaten them since my freshman year … so it was really a big one to win" Jansma said.

The Tar Heels almost relinquished an 8-point lead in the second set but held on to win it.

After the first two games we made a statement: ‘We're not going five. We're ending it now"'"" Jansma said.

UNC led almost all the way" by as many as seven points in the decisive third set.

With the victory the Tar Heels' seventh in a row they moved into sole possession of first place in the ACC with four matches remaining in the regular season.

Jansma keyed North Carolina's victory" recording 35 assists in the short match.

""She did a great job this game" and she helped us win this junior middle hitter Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland said.

It's great because it's her senior year" and for all the seniors it's such a proud moment.""



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