Duke Set for Regular-Season Finale at North Carolina

DURHAM – The Duke volleyball team closes its 2022 regular season Wednesday with the short trip to Chapel Hill. First serve against the Tar Heels is set for 2 p.m., at Carmichael Arena. The match will be broadcast on ACCNX with Rob Connett and Kyle Straub on the call.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Duke volleyball team dropped a hard-fought 3-2 match (26-24, 17-25, 25-23, 31-33, 13-15) to Miami Sunday afternoon at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke was once again led offensively by Gracie Johnson with 24 kills, followed by Rylie Kadel and Kerry Keefe with 12 each. Setter Devon Chang dished 54 dimes while three players registered double-digit digs: Nikki Underwood (32), Chang (16) and Johnson (14). At the net, five players tallied three-or-more blocks, led by Kadel with an impressive eight, followed by Lizzie Fleming (4), Chang (4), Keefe (3) and Rachel Richardson (3).
 
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE SERIES
North Carolina leads the all-time series 67-55 dating back to 1971. The Tar Heels have won eight of the last nine meetings.
 
SCOUTING THE TAR HEELS
North Carolina enters Wednesday’s contest 15-12 overall, 7-9 in the ACC and have lost three consecutive, including a recent loss to Florida State in Tallahassee. The Tar Heels are led by Mabrey Shaffmaster and Charley Niego with 384 and 284 kills, respectively. Shaffmaster is fifth in the ACC in total kills and sixth in total points (428.5). Setter Anita Babic owns 851 assists while three players have tallied 200 or more digs this season: Maddy May (329), Shaffmaster (272) and Niego (257). At the net, Kaya Merkler spearheads the blocking contingent with 103 total blocks. As a team, North Carolina ranks seventh in the ACC in total kills (1,299) and is 11th in hitting percentage (.205). Wednesday’s contest will be a battle of the serve between two of the top serving teams in the ACC. The Tar Heels hold a slight advantage (181) at the service line to rank second in the ACC and are led by Austin Parker who is second in the conference behind Gracie Johnson with 42 aces.
 
LAST TIME WE MET
This is the second time this fall Duke and North Carolina will match up. The two squads met on Oct. 23 at Cameron Indoor Stadium when the Tar Heels collected a 3-1 victory. Three Tar Heels registered double-digit kills and two double-doubles, led by Mabrey Shaffmaster, who tallied 18 kills and 11…