UNC volleyball swept by No. 7 Stanford at Carmichael Arena

The North Carolina women’s volleyball team (20-6, 12-5 ACC) fell to No. 7 Stanford (22-4, 14-3 ACC), 3-0, on Sunday afternoon in Carmichael Arena. 

Stanford was superior to UNC on all fronts throughout the Tar Heels’ fifth loss in seven games. While North Carolina was rarely in-system and committed jittery mistakes, the Cardinal played cleanly. UNC struggled to put the ball away, set up a solid block and receive a sound first touch. During each long rally, Stanford came out on top, wasting a chance for a North Carolina momentum booster. 

Stanford jumped out to a 4-0 start behind high-powered attacks and two missed swings by senior outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster. UNC elected to talk things over and took a timeout. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Thorpe put North Carolina on the board with a cross-court kill and Shaffmaster — who ranks fourth in the ACC in total service aces — followed with an ace. 

Shaffmaster, who leads the Tar Heels in kills on the season, was committing uncharacteristic errors. With Stanford ahead 15-7, UNC called another timeout. On seven hitting attempts, Shaffmaster had already racked up five errors, hitting -.714 percent midway through the opening set.

The Cardinals sealed the first set 25-13 with an ace by Kami Miner. North Carolina recorded a -.133 hitting percentage as a team, including nine attacking errors, in the first frame. Stanford also stuffed UNC at the net five times. 

Stanford opened the second set 6-1, forcing the Tar Heels to call yet another early timeout. Through those six points, Elia Rubin put down three kills for the Cardinals and Thorpe was met by a formidable block twice and swung too long once. 

Stanford’s blocking front stifled UNC’s offense as a whole, as the Cardinal produced three blocks in a span of five points. After the third stuff Carmichael Arena went silent. 

“We didn’t do enough offensively to be able to challenge their block,” head coach Mike Schall said. “And they’re just too big and too good that when we don’t handle the ball well we’re going to be in front of a big block every time.”

On the flip side, everything was going Stanford’s way on offense. Miner was setting her hitters a quick tempo that UNC’s block and backline could not defend. Rubin and fellow Cardinal attacker Sami Francis led the way for Stanford at the net, amassing a comfortable second-set advantage, 20-9. 

After a back-and-forth rally ended on a slide kill by Francis, Stanford took the second set, 25-10. 

North Carolina started the third set up 3-1 and went on a three-point run to lead 8-7. The scrappy Tar Heels were playing their highest level of volleyball at this point, picking up more attacks from Stanford and letting the Cardinals make the errors. 

Graduate outside hitter Emani’ Foster prompted the loudest moment in Carmichael, when she stuffed a Cardinal hitter, leading to a “head-top” celebration from graduate setter Taylor Eisert. Sophomore setter Zoe Behrendt picked up an ace and Stanford made an attacking error, leading to a 3-0 UNC run and Stanford’s first timeout of the afternoon as North Carolina led 15-14.  

“I would say we were doing the simple things really well,” Behrendt said. “We were serving well, we were passing well, we were super-duper scrappy and we had a few momentum plays that really put us ahead.”

Stanford followed with a three-point run of its own. After a timeout, North Carolina regrouped with two huge blocks. Another attacking error and the Cardinals were back at their bench talking it over at 18-17, UNC leading.  

The end of the third set was a back-and-forth affair. With a line kill by Shaffmaster, North Carolina pushed the third set to 24-24. The three-time All-ACC selection went for the same spot again, but the ball was ruled out-of-bounds. Head coach Mike Schall unsuccessfully challenged the call, and another error by Shaffmaster secured a Stanford sweep. 

“Most teams in the country would struggle against Stanford,” Schall said. “So what we just always come back to is let’s keep getting better every day, let’s maintain where we are physically.”

The Tar Heels will look to regroup as they face Virginia on Wednesday at home at 2 p.m.

@meganosmithh

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com