'Quite a performance': UNC volleyball's Jackie Taylor has career outing against UVA

First-year middle blocker Jackie Taylor tracked the ball. 

North Carolina held a 17-11 advantage in the fourth set. Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Thorpe launched the ball across the court. As the ball was hastily recovered by Virginia for an off-balance lob, Taylor immediately rose to punch it back down into the opposing hardwood, over the heads of three UVA players.

Back-to-back kills from Taylor. UNC 18, UVA 11. 

The whistle pierced in the midst of the celebrations, signifying a Virginia timeout. Taylor jogged back to the bench after her seventh kill in the fourth set. Her teammates swarmed around her, patting her on the back following her breakout fourth set. 

“We never want to take a team to a fifth set," Taylor said. Why not just knock them out in the fourth?”

In its final home game of the season, No. 25 North Carolina defeated Virginia, 3-1, fueled by Taylor’s breakout performance in the fourth set at Carmichael Arena. The first-year middle blocker totaled a career-high 13 kills, eight of which came in the final set of the game. And it's what Taylor has been doing all year — both on the offensive and defensive ends of the ball. 

“It’s a career night in terms of her numbers, but that’s what we’ve been seeing from her as the season’s gone on,” head coach Mike Schall said, later adding, “She’s working incredibly hard to become a really good offensive player, and she showed that today. It was quite a performance from her.”

Taylor’s impact began as she exploded for two consecutive blocks in the first set – leading the formidable defensive front line for UNC. Her consecutive blocks resulted in a Virginia timeout as the Tar Heels extended their lead.

After dominating the first two sets of the match, the tide turned. North Carolina allowed the Cavaliers to come from behind. Virginia claimed the third set, 25-20.

However, off the back of Taylor, the Tar Heels were able to regain their offensive rhythm in the fourth and final set. Off an assist by sophomore setter Zoe Behrendt, Taylor smacked a kill into the center of the hardwood to put North Carolina up 8-4 — her third of the set. 

“If you give a middle one-on-one block, you have the ability to turn the ball and find open space,” Taylor said. “We really took advantage of that, and our setters put us in the best position to be able to do that.”

And yet she didn’t stop there. Taylor continually brought the Tar Heels back to regain their dominance in the fourth set — finding the height of each possession for two crucial kills to put UNC up 16-10.

“Getting good serve receive passes, we were able to set Jackie [up] more and she got up and just ripped the ball,” Shaffmaster said. "I think a lot of the time the hitters overthink a lot of stuff and I was just like, 'Hit it, literally just hit it over. Just find the floor and hit it, you jump like forty feet in the air — just hit it over.'”

Taylor’s 13 kills highlighted an explosion in offensive production for the Tar Heels, joining four players with kills in double figures. She emphasized the importance of “setting the tone” as postseason play quickly approaches for North Carolina.

Starting all 27 matches for North Carolina this season — and the only first-year to do so — Taylor had already tied her previous career-high twice this season. 

And while this may be the final game in Carmichael this season, Taylor’s career in the building is just getting started.

“As a freshman, it’s been a dream to play collegiate volleyball, and I feel like we’ve done so much this year and I’m really eager to see what more we can do,” Taylor said. 

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