Miami Stumbles in Loss to North Carolina, 3-0

Oct. 23, 2009

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Coral Gables, Fla. – Lane Carico’s match-high tying 16 kills was not enough Friday night as the University of Miami fell by a count of 3-0 (22-25, 25-27, 14-25) to the visiting University of North Carolina in an ACC volleyball match at the James L. Knight Sports Complex in Coral Gables, Fla.

The match between Miami and North Carolina was dubbed “Dig Pink” as the Hurricanes were supporting the Side-Out Foundation and several schools across the nation in the fight against breast cancer in helping to raise money for breast cancer awareness/research.

UNC (11-9, 7-2 ACC) held a 15-12 advantage midway through the first set until Miami sophomore Christine Williamson began a 4-1 Hurricanes run that eventually knotted the score at 16-all following another kill from Williamson off the set from freshman Nrithya Sundararaman. Williamson finished the first set with four kills.

Miami (12-8, 5-5 ACC) took its first lead of the match on the strength of a 3-0 run that ended with a kill from Lane Carico, allowing UM the 20-18 advantage immediately following a timeout called by the Tar Heels.

Consecutive kills from UNC’s Heather Brooks put the game back at a push (20-20) before Carico stamped a kill to put the `Canes back on top by one (21-20). With the score deadlocked at 22-all, UNC rolled off three straight points to take the opening set as Branagan Fuller placed two of her set-high nine kills in the opening frame to help in the 25-22 win.

The second set was equally exciting as the teams saw 13 ties and four lead changes throughout.

With Megan Owens registering a kill down the left side for UNC to expand the Tar Heels lead to 12-8, UM began to chip away at the lead with back-to-back kills from Carico, as well as a service ace from senior Maria Andersson. The ace from Andersson matched the score, 13-13.

Miami captured the lead (17-16) in the second set for the first time since it was 4-3, when Carico took a Sundararaman set for a kill–one of 11 for the Manhattan Beach, California native in the set. The `Canes stretched their lead to 22-19 when Carico put down three consecutive kills as part of a 7-3 Miami run.

With UM serving for set-point at 24-22, UNC’s Fuller posted one of her match-high tying 16 kills to give UNC the serve trailing, 24-23. A block from Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland and a kill from Courtney Johnston put UNC serving for the set, 25-24. As Miami later trailed 26-25, a service ace from North Carolina’s Johnston gave the Tar Heels the win (27-25) and the 2-0 advantage in the match.

The Tar Heels carried their momentum into the third set, running out to a quick 5-1 advantage as Fuller and Heather Brooks did the work early for UNC. North Carolina commanded the lead 12-4 after a solo block from Hanson-Tuntland en route to the 25-14 win, thus taking the match, 3-0.

UNC was led on the night by three players topping double-digits in kills, led by the efforts of Fuller with 16, while Hanson-Tuntland (11) and Johnston (10) followed. Owens had six kills and 15 digs, and setter Cora Harms added 40 assists and 12 digs.

For the `Canes, Carico was the only player in double-digits for kills, collecting a match-high tying 16 while also grabbing a double-double effort–her 11th of the year, in taking 12 digs and a block assist. Sophomore Ali Becker added seven kills and two blocks (one solo).

Sundararaman staked a double-double with 27 assists and 10 digs, and Lici McGee added six kills and three blocks (two solo).

The Hurricanes will be back in action again Sunday, Oct. 25 when they play host to NC State at the James L. Knight Sports Complex in a match beginning at 1:30 p.m.

For more information on the University of Miami Volleyball team, please log on to www.hurricanesports.com. Once there, you will find up-to-date news, stats and information regarding the Hurricanes Volleyball program.