Michigan
9-1,0-0Big Ten
North Carolina
7-1,0-0ACC
Michigan Suffers First Loss in Five-Set Battle Against UNC
9/20/2024 10:39:00 PM | Volleyball
» Michigan fell to North Carolina in five sets in their first loss of the season.
» Valentina Vaulet tallied a career-high 22 kills in the match.
» Ten different Wolverines tallied digs with Maddi Cuchran leading the way.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team suffered their first loss of the season in a five-set battle against North Carolina (25-22, 20-25, 20-25, 25-13, 10-15) on Friday night (Sept. 20) at Carmichael Arena.
Michigan (9-1) was led offensively by Valentina Vaulet, who set a career high with 22 kills. Allison Jacobs was the only other Wolverine to reach double-digit kills, finishing with 10. Defensively, 10 Wolverines recorded digs, with Maddi Cuchran leading the team with 11.
North Carolina (7-1) opened the match with an ace, and the teams traded points until the score was tied at 16. A 5-0 Michigan run, sparked by Morgan Burke at the service line, gave the Wolverines a lead, but UNC countered with a 3-0 run. Despite UNC's push, Michigan took four of the final seven points to win the set 25-22, with Allison Jacobs delivering the decisive kill.
The second set remained close early, with the teams tied at eight. UNC pulled ahead 12-9 and never let Michigan regain momentum. The Wolverines struggled to put together a run, and UNC secured the second set 25-20.
In the third set, UNC controlled the pace from the start, taking an early 3-0 lead. After a North Carolina attack error and a block from Nyambio, the Wolverines closed the gap to one, but could not get the tying point. UNC added to its lead with 3-0 and 4-0 runs, and despite Michigan fighting off two set points, the Tar Heels took the set 25-20 to go up 2-1.
Michigan responded in the fourth set, as an early 6-0 surge with Mira Chopra at the line put U-M up 9-3. Chopra tallied two aces in the run and Boney and Vaulet each tallied kills. The Tar Heels got within two at 11-9 but the Wolverines countered with an 8-0 run. Cuchran led the team from the service line and Boney, Jacobs and Amalia Simmons registered kills that put Michigan up 19-9. UNC took just four more points in the set and a kill from Vaulet forced the fifth set after a 25-13 set win.
In the final set, Michigan took an early lead on back-to-back blocks from Jacobs, with Nyambio and Vaulet each assisting on one. Neither team was able to string together a run until the Tar Heels got back-to-back points and tied the match at 7. Vaulet later put the Wolverines up 10-8 with two straight kills, forcing a Tar Heels timeout. However, out of the break, North Carolina took control of the match, scoring the final seven points of the set to win 15-10.
Michigan will return to action on Saturday (Sept. 21) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge against Duke in Durham, N.C., with the match starting at 6:30 p.m. and streaming on ACCNX.
