In first NCAA tournament appearance since 2021, UNC volleyball defeated Yale, 3-1, in the opening round

The No. 8-seeded North Carolina women’s volleyball team (23-7, 14-6 ACC) took down Yale (19-6, 12-2 Ivy League), 3-1, in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday evening in Rec Hall at Penn State. This was UNC’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 2021 and its 20th in program history. 

In the first matchup ever between the two teams, Yale started firing on all cylinders until North Carolina turned the tide. UNC recorded a .369 hitting percentage in the match, which carried the Tar Heels to long unanswered runs. 

After the Tar Heels got on the board with a Bulldog missed serve and a block from graduate middle hitter Alexis Engelbrecht, Yale went on a three-point run. Play continued back-and-forth, with both squads involving a variety of attackers at the net. Yale was serving tough — recording three aces in the opening set — often putting UNC out-of-system on the offensive front.

Out of the media timeout at 15-12 Yale leading, senior outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster found the hardwood for back-to-back UNC points. Shaffmaster earned All-ACC Second Team honors — her fourth ACC selection in four years. 

After trading points, Yale collected three unanswered points, prompting a North Carolina timeout down 21-16. Despite tallying an efficient .478 hitting percentage, the Tar Heels failed to keep pace defensively. Yale took set one, 25-18.

UNC opened the second set up 5-2 with help of graduate outside hitter Emani’ Foster, who started with five kills on five attempts in the game. Yale called its first timeout of the game at 13-8 as North Carolina amassed its greatest lead of the night so far.

“We all had the green light to rip,” Foster said. “Especially with our balance on both pins and the middle. It gave us a lot of seams where we were able to just blast balls.”

Out of the huddle, sophomore outside hitter Safi Hampton powered in an ace to go along with her six kills in the second set. The Bulldogs had to talk it over again at 17-9 after an ace by junior libero Maddy May and kills by Engelbrecht, first-year middle blocker and All-ACC Rookie Team selection Jackie Taylor. 

UNC not only cleaned it up defensively, but also continued its hot offense with five players recording a hitting percentage over .580. North Carolina knotted the match up after dominating the second set, 25-13.

The Bulldogs regrouped and started the third set 4-1. Yale’s Laurece Abraham led the effort to 9-4 with three kills through that stretch. 

North Carolina responded with a 9-3 run to cut Yale’s lead to one point at 13-12. From there Engelbrecht began to control the net. In the span of four points, the transfer from Ohio State tallied two blocks and forced two Bulldog attack errors, leading to a Yale timeout with UNC up 17-14.

Everything was going right for North Carolina. Highlighted by Engelbrecht’s three blocks and May’s accidental overpass kill, the Tar Heels completed an 11-0 run. It was too little, too late for Yale as UNC took the third set, 25-17.

“I think us just going on a big run and putting us ahead,” Shaffmaster said, “it gave us a little bit more confidence in ourselves going into the rest of the game.”

After Foster made an attacking error on the opening point of the fourth set, the Tar Heels picked up right where they left off in the previous set with a seven-point run. 

Unlike before, however, Yale slowly cut the lead thanks to right-side hitter Betsy Goodenow, bringing the score to 9-6, UNC. A five-point Bulldog run and Yale had the game tied at 11-11. 

Volleyball is a game of runs, and North Carolina was winning that battle. Led by two kills from redshirt sophomore opposite hitter Chelsea Thorpe, the Tar Heels scored on five of the next six rallies.

UNC collected seven more unanswered points with Hampton collecting the final three kills of the stretch. After a late surge by Yale and a North Carolina timeout, Shaffmaster sealed the set victory, 25-20, and the match victory with a kill that grazed the shoulder of a Bulldog defender.

“The best thing about winning round one is the chance to go round two,” head coach Mike Schall said. 

UNC will face the winner of No. 1-seeded Penn State and Delaware State University on Saturday for the second round in Rec Hall. 

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