Aug. 28, 2009
Box Score
EAST LANSING, MICH. - North Carolina volleyball opened their 2009 campaign with a 3-1 victory over Albany. Seniors Heather Brooks and Branagan Fuller who each posted a game-high 15 kills against the Great Danes led the Tar Heels.
Sophomore setter Erica Behm tallied 51 assists just five shy of her career high. Junior Suzanne Haydel and sophomore libero Kaylie Gibson each added 13 digs for the 1-0 Tar Heels. Sophomore Courtney Johnston added 10 kills to balance the Tar Heels' attack. Carolina hit .277 for the game tallying 56 kills to Albany's .188 percentage and 54 kills.
North Carolina took the first set from Albany 25-19. Senior Branagan Fuller led the attack with five kills in the first set as Erica Behm registered nine assists. East Lansing's own Heather Brooks capped off the first set with an impressive block then a kill as the Heels took the first frame.
The Tar Heels fell behind early in the second set 9-5 before a timely Carolina timeout. Carolina battled back to tie the set at 13 before taking the lead 17-16 behind Courtney Johnston's five kills and Erica Behm's 13 assists to claim the set 25-21. The Heels were able to climb back as the Great Danes hit only .175 in the second frame.
The Great Danes came out strong in the third set hitting .294 behind Brooke Stanley's 12 assists. Albany's 15 kills helped them out to a 20-16 lead before an another timely
Joe Sagula timeout. A
Suzanne Haydel serve ace and a few
Branagan Fuller kills later the Heels knotted the score at 22. The Great Danes suffered an injury to sophomore middle hitter Casey Wright, but were able to close out the set 25-23.
In the fourth set, the Heels jumped out to a quick 13-6 lead before an Albany timeout. The Great Danes battled back to cut the Heels lead to 14-9 before a Heather Brooks and Courtney Johnston block. Brooks later added three timely kills to put the Heels up 18-10. Freshmen Cora Harms in her first career play came up strong with a serve ace. Senior Megan Owens closed out the fourth set with her lone kill of the match as the Heels took set four 25-15. Carolina hit a game-high .382 in the fourth set as the Tar Heels improve to 1-0 on the season.
Two freshmen Meg Yanda and Cora Harms both played in the first games for the Tar Heels. Yanda registered four kills and Harms posted a serve ace in their first career action at North Carolina. Redshirt freshmen Shelbey Bleke also played in her first career game for the Heels posting a pair of blocks.
The meeting was the first ever between the Tar Heels and the Great Danes. The Tar Heels will play two matches tomorrow against No. 12 USC at 12:30 p.m. and tournament host Michigan State at 7:30 p.m.
