‘Bonehead Plays’ cost volleyball win

DURHAM — Down to just two games left in the season, the North Carolina volleyball team took on Duke — ranked second in the ACC — at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday.

After losing to Wake Forest in a five-game match Friday, the Tar Heels hoped to rack up at least one more win before the end of the season. Not only would it be a substantial upset, but it would also give coach Joe Sagula his 600th career win.

But that win did not come. The Tar Heels fell in three straight sets.

Duke led by at least three points for most of the first set and won 25-18. Duke, a team known for its hard hits, knocked down several laser kills. Still, much of the game featured long rallies with extensive movement from both teams.

The second set was much closer. UNC broke out to a four-point lead after the set was tied at seven. But Duke rallied back after trailing 22-18 to knot it at 23. Late service errors and miscues ultimately led to the Tar Heels’ demise, and they lost 27-25.

“We made some uncharacteristic errors, just bonehead plays. It didn’t go well for us.” Sagula said. “We just kind of gave it to them. It was sad.”

The final set belonged to Duke as well. It stayed tied through 13, but Duke then went on a tear with three straight service aces. The Blue Devils won 25-16.

Courtney Johnston had an impressive first two sets for UNC. She nailed seven kills with only two errors. But in the third game she had no kills and four errors.

“Duke came in at the half, and I think their goal was to shut down the right side, and other people needed to step up at that point,” Johnston said. “I should have been more tactical. Those four errors were uncalled for.”

The Tar Heels played a solid defensive game, though. Against a tough Duke offense, UNC made several steadfast defensive stands. Four Tar Heels had double-digit digs.

“(Duke) was a hard hitting team. We didn’t block a lot of balls, but they didn’t get a lot of balls behind us,” Sagula said. “Still, our left outside hitters’ blocking has just been atrocious for the last month.”

The Tar Heels have just one more game left in the season. That means one more game to end the season on a positive note and one more game for Sagula to earn 600 wins. That game will be against a N.C. State team with zero ACC wins.

But for Sagula, the No. 600 doesn’t matter much.

“I just want to win a match. I just want to beat N.C. State.” Sagula said. “At this point it’s the most insignificant thing in the world. I’m just old, that’s all.”

On the other hand, for the team, a win would show Sagula how much his players care.

“He says it doesn’t matter, and we know it’s more about the team than him, but we want to do it for him,” Johnston said. “It’s his turn to have a win, too.



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.