12th-Ranked Tar Heels Topple Blue Devils in Four

Thursday, September 1

Durham, N.C.

6:30 PM

Duke University

North Carolina

12th-Ranked Tar Heels Topple Blue Devils in Four

9/1/2016 10:06:00 PM | Volleyball

VB Highlights: UNC 3, Duke 1 Jolene Nagel Postgame: UNC 3, Duke 1 Box Score (PDF)Box Score (HTML)Photo Gallery

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke won the opening set before giving way in four to the 12th-ranked Tar Heels , falling 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 23-25, 20-25) to North Carolina Thursday evening in Cameron Indoor Stadium. UNC totaled 21.0 blocks for the match, led by redshirt freshman Sydnye Fields' 16.

Fields broke the North Carolina (4-0) single-match record with 15 block assists, totaling 11 during the second and third frames. The Tar Heels put down 53 kills to the Blue Devils' 52, but held the edge in blocks (21.0 - 6.0) and consequently hitting percentage (.247 - .128).

“I thought we served pretty well and at times we played great defense,” said head coach Jolene Nagel. “I just don't think we sustained it like we need to point after point. [North Carolina has] done a good job of blocking, but I think we could've done a better job of moving the ball around, knowing that the block was there.”

Three Blue Devils reached double-digit kills, paced by senior middle blocker Jordan Tucker's 14. Tucker committed just two attack errors and hit .353 on the night, the highest clip of any player in the match with over 20 swings. Seeing time at outside hitter, junior Anna Kropf added a career-best 12 kills, while sophomore Leah Meyer contributed 10 in her season debut.

“Anna's doing a good job,” Nagel added. “She's busting every day in practice. She's going hard. She doesn't care where she is out there on the court. Whether she's left, middle or right she's going to give us everything she has. It's exciting to see her have the success she's having.”

Freshman setter Cindy Marina picked up her third double-double of the season, dishing out 38 assists to go along with 13 digs, three aces and three blocks.

Overall, Duke out-dug North Carolina, 77-67, with five Blue Devils topping the 10-dig threshold. Senior Chloe DiPasquale finished one shy of her career high with 14 digs, senior libero Sasha Karelov led the team with 18, freshman Jamie Stivers chipped in 13 and junior Nicole Elattrache picked up 12.

North Carolina committed eight attack errors, one more than the Tar Heels totaled the remaining three sets combined, in the opening set, enabling Duke to come away with a 25-22 decision. The Blue Devils trailed by three before tying the frame late. A Tucker and Marina block nudged Duke ahead, 22-21. Following a Tar Heel attack error, Tucker and Marina put down back-to-back kills to secure the first-set victory.

The second and third frames played out similarly with UNC earning early leads and holding off Duke late. A 7-1 start catapulted the Tar Heels to a 25-18 second set. Duke fell behind, 5-1, to begin the third before clawing its way back down the stretch. A UNC ball-handling error couple with a Samantha Amos and Tucker block knotted the frame at 23-all. However, North Carolina received a Taylor Leath kill and final block to end the threat.

UNC used a 5-1 run to take control of the fourth, turning an 8-8 tie into a 13-5 advantage. Duke was unable to fight its way back this time, finally falling on Julia Scoles' match-high 17th kill.

Scoles totaled her 17 kills on an efficient .351 clip, while also notching 14 digs and four blocks. She was the only Tar Heel to reach double-digit kills.

The Blue Devils face a quick turnaround, welcoming TCU to Cameron Friday, Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m.

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