RICHMOND, Va. – The Carolina volleyball team capped off a 3-0 weekend at the VCU Invitational with a three-set victory over UMBC on Saturday afternoon, the Tar Heels’ second sweep in a row. Carolina dropped just one set on the weekend.
Mabrey Shaffmaster led Carolina with 15 kills against the Retrievers, her sixth-double-digit performance of the season, while Kaya Merkler and Charley Niego each had nine kills apiece.
Merkler, who had a match-best .500 hitting percentage and three aces, finished the weekend hitting .452 with 32 kills, four aces and seven blocks. Niego had a combined team-best 34 kills in Richmond.
Liv Mogridge had a career-performance against UMBC, recording a match-best five blocks and three kills.
Freshman setter Anita Babic ran the offense, recording 32 assists, while Maddy May had 14 digs.
How It Happened:
Set One – UNC: 25, UMBC: 23
Shaffmaster led Carolina with a match-best six kills in the first frame, while Liv Mogridge was the leader at the net, tallying three blocks. The Tar Heels out-hit UMBC .172-156 and tallied five blocks to the Retrievers’ two. Merkler tallied both of Carolina’s service aces in the set.
Set Two– UNC: 25, UMBC: 18
Merkler hit .857 with a team-best six kills in the second set, while Shaffmaster recorded back-to-back aces. Carolina out-hit the Retrievers .219-.182, despite being out-blocked, 6-5.
Set Three– UNC: 25, UMBC: 16
Carolina’s offense came out blazing in the final set, hitting .444 while holding UMBC…
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