Sept. 29, 2005

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. --- Senior outside hitter Dani Nyenhuis had a career-high 29 kills, a school-record 103 attempts and 22 digs, but the University of North Carolina volleyball team dropped a five-game decision to Duke, 30-26, 27-30, 30-22, 27-30, 15-11, Thursday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The loss was UNC's first to Duke in 12 matches, dating back to 1999. With the victory, the Blue Devils (8-3, 2-1 ACC) secure at least half of the one point allotted to volleyball in the Carlyle Cup, the annual all-sport competition between UNC and Duke. The Tar Heels (7-6, 2-1 ACC) will have the chance to earn a split when the two teams meet in Chapel Hill on Nov. 4.

Duke took the early advantage in game one, running out to a quick 7-1 lead. After falling behind by as much as seven at 14-7, the Tar Heels began to close the gap. Back-to-back points won with a block and a kill by senior outside hitter Camilla Ihenetu pulled Carolina to within two at 16-14. But the Tar Heels could not get over the hump, and the Blue Devil lead would fluctuate between one and four for the rest of the game before Carrie DeMange ended a marathon point with a kill to give Duke the game, 30-26.

Game two once again saw the Blue Devils with the early lead. After trailing 9-6, UNC rattled off six straight points to take a 12-9 lead. The Tar Heels would lead by as many as four at 16-12 before Duke eventually tied the score at 18-all. The action would go back and forth before two straight Nyenhuis kills forced a Blue Devil timeout at 27-24. An Ihenetu kill gave Carolina game point, and freshman outside hitter Lauren Prussing teamed up with junior middle Amy Beaver for a big block to give the Tar Heels the game, 30-27.

The home standing Blue Devils dominated most of game three, cruising to a 30-22 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Duke held Carolina to a .000 hitting percentage in the frame thanks to five team blocks and 10 digs from libero Jenny Shull. Shull finished with a career-high 37 digs to lead the Blue Devil defense. UNC was victimized by a 7-0 run that turned the deficit from two at 19-17 to nine at 26-17.

For most of game four it appeared as though Duke would carry the momentum to a four-game win. But after falling behind 19-14, the Tar Heels finally started to click. Carolina tied the score at 21-all thanks to a 7-2 run before the two squads began trading the lead back and forth. Kills by Nyenhuis and Ihenetu gave UNC game point at 29-27, and a Nyenhuis roll shot hit the floor to force a fifth and deciding game.

Duke won six of the first nine points in game five, forcing Carolina to play from behind. A Nyenhuis kill pulled the Tar Heels to within one at 10-9, but UNC would get no closer. Carolina fought off two match points at 14-9, but Carrie DeMange put down the last of her team-high 23 kills to give Duke the game, 15-11, and the match.

Several Tar Heels left Durham with career highs. Senior libero Taylor Rayfield (29), freshman defensive specialist Brianna Eskola (28) and Ihenetu (22) all had career bests in digs, while Beaver had a career-high 10 blocks. Carolina finished the match with 33 block assists, one shy of the school record.

UNC will look to get back in the win column Friday with a road match at Wake Forest. First serve is set for 7 p.m.