Oct. 29, 2004

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The University of North Carolina volleyball team won its second straight non-conference match with a three game victory over rival Duke Friday night, 31-29, 30-28, 30-26. Senior Molly Pyles played one of her best matches of the season, finishing with 21 kills, 21 digs and a .357 hitting percentage. Junior Dani Nyenhuis took a backseat to Pyles offensively, but responded with a career-high 25 digs to pace a strong Carolina defense.

Game one was close throughout, as both teams hit well and used solid digging to combat an almost total lack of blocking. Neither team led by more than three, with Duke (15-8) grabbing the largest advantage at 17-14. Behind the offense of Pyles, Carolina (14-11) scored five of the next seven points to even the score at 19-all. The teams traded short runs before the Blue Devils took a two-point lead at 27-25. But Duke would win only two more points, as UNC went on a 6-2 run powered by three Pyles kills to take the game, 31-29.

Game two featured a significant shift in play, as strong blocking helped to neutralize the hitting on both sides of the net. The Tar Heels and Blue Devils combined for 10 total team blocks, after having only one in the first frame. Carolina held a six to four advantage. Just as in game one, neither team held a sizable lead. UNC held a game-high three-point lead at 21-18 before Duke took three quickly to tie the score. It was Nyenhuis who would put the game away, as she contributed four kills and a block in the late stages before a Pyles kill ended it, 30-28.

The Blue Devils, looking to extend the match, came out strong in game three and played from out front for most of the first half of action. Duke led by as many as four at 16-12 before a quick 4-0 run tied the score. Carolina fell behind again at 24-22 before sophomore Amy Beaver scored two straight on a kill and a block to tie the score. After one final tie at 26-all, the Tar Heels scored the final four points of the game, the last coming on a kill by Pyles, and secured the game, 30-26, and the match, 3-0.

The Tar Heels will hit the road tomorrow for the season's only regular-season match with Wake Forest. Carolina visits the Demon Deacons at 6 p.m.