The No. 8 North Carolina volleyball team swept Syracuse to remain undefeated in ACC play (25-21, 25-12, 25-21).
What happened?
Syracuse (5-15, 4-6 ACC) got off to a good start, winning the first point of the match. The two teams continued to exchange points before the Tar Heels (18-2, 10-0 ACC) won five consecutive points, helped by strong serving from first-year Mariah Evans. The score remained tight and the Tar Heels won the first set 25-21.
The second set was a different story, as the Tar Heels exploded out to a 10-3 lead. The Tar Heels expanded on that lead, winning the second set 25-12 thanks to strong play from redshirt sophomore Taylor Leath and redshirt junior Taylor Fricano.
Syracuse took control of the third set early, taking a 12-10 lead. The Orange extended the lead to 19-15 and the Tar Heels were forced to call a timeout. Leath smacked a convincing spike heard throughout the gym to cut the lead to two, igniting the Tar Heels. UNC finished on a 9-2 run to win the game 25-21 and take the match in three sets.
Who stood out?
Taylor Leath was huge for the Tar Heels up front, tallying key blocks and 11 kills. Leath finished with a game-high 12.5 points, tied with redshirt senior Taylor Treacy. Hayley McCorkle and Taylor Fricano also had big games for the Tar Heels, earning 10.5 points apiece.
When was it decided?
The match was decided midway through the second set. The Orange played UNC tough in the first set with the score tied three different times, but the Tar Heels proved too much for Syracuse moving forward. UNC opened up a nine-point lead halfway through the second set, and there was no looking back. The third set was much like the first, but the Tar Heels were able to cling to a narrow lead and won the match three sets to none.
