Oct. 2, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina volleyball team will head to Durham, N.C. Friday night looking for its fourth consecutive victory when the Tar Heels take on Duke at 7 p.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Carolina enters with an 8-5 overall record along with an unblemished 2-0 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils enter with a 10-5 record and a 1-2 conference record after dropping a five-set match at Wake Forest on Tuesday.

The Tar Heels hold a 48-40 advantage over the Blue Devils in the all-time series, but have been unable to claim a victory in the past four meetings. Duke took an epic five-set match in Carmichael Auditorium on Oct. 7 in the first meeting in 2007 as Carolina took the opening set 31-29 before dropping the next two, 23-30 and 18-30. A 30-24 fourth set win would force a decisive game five which the Blue Devils would close out, 15-10, for the win. A Nov. 16 meeting in Durham would snap a six-match winning streak the Tar Heels entered with and would start a late season swoon by Carolina. The Blue Devils won 30-23, 30-20 and 30-24 as the Tar Heels lost their final two matches in 3-0 fashion to close out the year.

Carolina is tied atop the ACC standings with Virginia Tech and NC State with an undefeated mark. The Hokies are 3-0, while the Wolfpack and Tar Heels sit at 2-0 after both defeating the likes of Boston College and Maryland a week ago. Duke enters the weekend with a 1-2 mark after splitting with Miami and Florida State last weekend taking down the Seminoles, 3-1, after falling to the Hurricanes, 3-1 before Tuesday's five-set loss at Wake Forest.

A half point towards the Carlyle Cup will be up for grabs when the Tar Heels and Blue Devils meet Friday as the Tar Heels will look to add to the Carolina lead that sits at 1-0 after field hockey won 2-1 over Duke on Sept. 27. The women's soccer squad will battle for a full point Thursday night in Durham looking to put Carolina ahead 2-0. Duke claimed the full volleyball point a year ago as a result of its pair of victories over the Heels.