North Carolina Outlasts Duke, 3-2, In Tobacco Road Thriller

Friday, November 4

Chapel Hill, N.C.

7 p.m.

Duke University

North Carolina

Blue Devils Bounce Back From 2-1 Deficit, Defeat Florida State, 3-2

North Carolina Outlasts Duke, 3-2, In Tobacco Road Thriller

11/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball

By: Duke Sports Information

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. ? The Duke volleyball team lost a heart-breaking match to North Carolina on Friday night, falling, 3-2 (30-27, 14-30, 20-30, 30-28, 15-17), to the Tar Heels in Carmichael Auditorium. The Blue Devils fall to 15-7 overall and 9-5 in the ACC, while North Carolina improves to 18-7 overall and 13-2 in the conference.

Trailing 20-23 in the opening game, the Blue Devils went on a 6-0 run to take a three-point lead. After a North Carolina timeout, Duke scored four of the next eight points, capped off by a kill from senior Sarah Salem, to win the first frame, 30-27.

North Carolina then used a 12-4 start to take control of the second game. After Duke brought the score to within five points on a block by freshman Jourdan Norman, the Tar Heels went on a 17-6 run to win the frame, 30-14.

After dropping the third game, 20-30, the Blue Devils won game four, 30-28, to force a deciding fifth game. With game four knotted at 21-21, Duke outscored North Carolina, 9-6, down the stretch for the win.

Trailing 7-10 in the final frame, the Blue Devils battled back to take a 15-14 lead. However, Duke could not put the match away as North Carolina responded by scoring the last three points of the match for a 17-15 win.

Sophomore Carrie DeMange recorded her 17th double-double of the season, posting a team-high 15 kills and a career-high 18 digs. Norman notched her second career double-double with 11 kills and a career-high 16 digs, while falling one block short of her first career triple-double. Sophomore Ali Hausfeld registered her 11th double-double of the year, posting 48 assists and 11 digs, while senior Samantha Fisher added 13 kills for Duke.

Duke was led defensively by sophomore Jenny Shull, who had a team-high 22 digs. Junior Tealle Hunkus added 15 digs, DeMange had six total blocks, and Hausfeld and Fisher recorded five total blocks each.

With tonight's victory, North Carolina earned a half point in the Carlyle Cup, a yearlong competition between the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels. Duke currently holds a 4.5-1.5 lead in the 2005-06 standings.

The Blue Devils will look to rebound on Sunday when they travel to Reynolds Coliseum to take on N.C. State (7-16, 1-14 ACC) at 1 p.m. Duke defeated N.C. State, 3-0, on Sept. 30 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, recording their ninth straight victory over the Wolfpack.

-d-u-k-e-