UNC volleyball sweeps Duke twice for the first time since 1981

With the third set tied at 23-23 on Wednesday, redshirt sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Thorpe and first-year middle blocker Jackie Taylor formed a human wall, sending the ball back to Duke's side. 

To celebrate the kill, Thorpe pulled her arms from over her shoulder to her hip. Seatbelt. 

And just like that, the Tar Heels were in the driver's seat — match point.

UNC swept the Blue Devils on their home turf on Wednesday. And on Friday, North Carolina welcomed its rivals to Carmichael Arena and swept Duke 3-0 again. This is the first time since 1981 that UNC did not concede a set to Duke in a season. With these two wins under their belt, the Tar Heels have improved to 12-1, marking the best start for the team since 2013. After finishing 13-14 last year, UNC has quickly turned things around under second-year head coach Mike Schall. 

“I think the players decided what kind of team they wanted to be,” Schall said. 

Discipline is the key word Schall has been implementing this season.

It doesn’t matter who is on the other side of the net — Michigan, Cleveland State or Duke — the team’s preparation and training has been consistent throughout. Schall instilled a certain mindset into his players. They must be intentional and gritty, which has been a cornerstone of their early success. 

Every opponent provides new challenges, but North Carolina has been able to adapt thanks to its balanced offense. 

Senior outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster and sophomore outside hitter Safi Hampton have been at the forefront, racking up most of UNC’s kills this season. But opponents figure out pretty fast if there are only one or two hitters, so UNC relies on its depth and middle hitters to open up the net.

In playing Duke back-to-back, the team knew it needed to shift its offensive strategy heading into game two. The team relied on Thorpe and graduate outside hitter Emani’ Foster — who both posted 11 kills apiece — to carry the team to victory once again. 

“We’re able to just score on different teams in different ways,” Shaffmaster said.

The team's chemistry both on and off the court has been an important factor of its success. UNC added three first-years and four transfers to the team, so over the summer, the Tar Heels started gaining trust in their new pieces. They built relationships with each other that have developed into a sisterhood that translates to the court. 

“We’re just a really, really close team,” Shaffmaster said. “So when we have off days, we’re all together and we still kind of hang out with each other, which is good for team chemistry.” 

Chemistry directly effects energy, and UNC has learned the importance of enthusiasm in a game.

When the team was defeated in a tough game against South Carolina in early September, Shaffmaster said the energy on the court and bench had not been as good and contributed to the loss. Since then, the team has been intentional in keeping the energy up and consistent. 

“We all know our roles, and we know that we need to help the team no matter how we can do it,” redshirt junior libero Carson Overbeck said. 

The team’s main goal is to make it back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2021, and at the rate they are going, there's a good chance they will. So every day, whether in practice or at a game, the Tar Heels work toward that goal, staying disciplined and dynamic. 

“Every day it’s just, ‘How can we get a little bit better?'" Shaffmaster said. "'How can we have that goal in the back of our head?'"

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