Dec. 5, 2008

Match Notes in PDF Format

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The North Carolina volleyball team is set to open the NCAA tournament Friday when the Tar Heels take on American (24-8) at 7 p.m. in Bender Arena on the campus of American University. The Tar Heels enter the tournament with a 21-10 record after claiming a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference title, while the Eagles claimed their eighth straight Patriot League crown. Carolina is 5-10 all-time in the NCAA tournament with its last appearance coming in the 2005 campaign when the Tar Heels fell to College of Charleston, 3-1. Carolina is 6-0 all-time against American, including a 3-2 win over the Eagles in the 2007 Carolina Classic.

The winner of Friday's 7 p.m. match will meet the winner of the tournament opener between No. 11 Oregon and Delaware who face off at 5 p.m. The winners will meet at 6 p.m. Saturday to decide who advances to the Austin Regional semifinal in Austin, Texas set to be held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 12-13.

All of the weekend matches can be seen on American's Eagle Vision by clicking here.

The Matchup
North Carolina (21-10, ACC co-champions) vs. American (24-8, Patriot League champions)
The Tar Heels and Eagles have met six previous times in volleyball competition with Carolina claiming all six contests. Carolina held on for a five-set win a year ago over the Eagles in the final match of the Carolina Classic held in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels claimed the opening two sets, 30-27 and 30-24, before dropping the next two, 33-35 and 24-30, before holding on for the 15-12 fifth set win.

Previous Meetings
1986 - Home - Win by default
1987 - Home - Win - 15-5, 15-6, 15-5
1990 - Home - Win - 15-6, 15-9, 15-5
1996 - Home - Win - 16-14, 15-13, 15-11
1999 - Home - Win - 15-7, 15-9, 13-15, 17-15
2007 - Home - Win - 30-27, 30-24, 33-35, 24-30, 15-12

Carolina in the NCAA Tournament
The Tar Heels are making their 11th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and fifth in the 2000s. Carolina last appeared in the tournament following the 2005 ACC championship when the Dean E. Smith Center played host to the first and second rounds. The Tar Heels fell in four sets to the College of Charleston ending their tournament on a sour note.

All-Time NCAA Tournament Results
1982 - Stockton, Calif. - at Pacific - L, 6-15, 4-15, 3-15
1983 - Lexington, Ky. - at Kentucky - L, 2-15, 13-15, 12-15
1988 - Austin, Texas - at Texas - L, 7-15, 6-15, 6-15
1989 - Arlington, Texas - at Texas-Arlington - L, 15-13, 6-15, 13-15, 6-15
1998 - East Lansing, Mich. - vs. Oral Roberts - W, 15-7, 5-15, 4-15, 15-11, 15-11
vs. Pepperdine - L, 14-16, 11-15, 8-15
1999 - College Station, Texas - vs. Northern Arizona - W, 15-6, 15-8, 15-10
at Texas A&M - L, 8-15, 4-15, 8-15
2000 - Gainesville, Fla. - vs. SE Missouri - L, 15-13, 15-12, 12-15, 6-15, 3-15
2001 - Chapel Hill - South Carolina - W, 30-25, 30-32, 30-25, 30-21
Pepperdine - L, 27-30, 26-30, 23-30
2002 - Chapel Hill - Winthrop - W, 30-24, 30-20, 30-18
South Carolina - W, 30-23, 28-30, 30-26, 30-23
Lincoln, Neb. - vs. Hawaii - L, 21-30, 23-30, 22-30
2005 - Chapel Hill - College of Charleston - L, 28-30, 30-23, 16-30, 29-31