Head coach Joe Sagula knows well that preseason rankings don't guarantee wins.
“I think a lot of people look at the rankings and the expectations," Sagula said. "People think you’re just going to step out onto the court and be good. We learned this weekend we have a lot more work ahead of us if we’re going to do that.”
After being swept by No. 4 Minnesota and No. 7 Wisconsin in a winless ACC/Big Ten Challenge, it was clear that the No. 11 North Carolina volleyball team played only a fraction of what it was expected to be this season — even though only a few notches separated the Tar Heels (0-2) from their opponents in the national rankings.
From the start, the Tar Heels found themselves trying to catch up from behind in all but a few instances all weekend. Against Minnesota on Friday, the team dropped sets by scores of 16-25, 7-25 and 20-25. They also had a 38-27 kill disadvantage and committed 26 attack errors to the Golden Gophers' 11.
On Saturday, they showed glimpses of their potential at times, but again dropped all three sets, losing 21-25, 17-25 and 19-25. Wisconsin (51) nearly doubled up North Carolina (27) in kills.
“I think it just tells us right now the level that we have to work," outside hitter Taylor Leath said. "We need to work harder, we need to be more focused and we have been before. Basically, it just helps us know where other people are, how we are stacking up and where we need to be.”
Sagula said the difference between the Tar Heels and their top-ten opponents wasn’t personnel disadvantages, but the team’s lack of established identity about who it wants to be this season.
“Physically and talent wise, we are not that far apart,” Sagula said. “As far as where we are this season, this weekend, I thought we were significantly behind them.”
“Both teams played like top-25 teams, and we certainly are not playing at that level right now. That doesn’t mean we can’t, and that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to, but right now we were not playing at that same level.”
