Tar Heels Too Much for Marquette

From Staff Reports

December 02, 2002

DTH/Kate Blackman Tar Heel setter Eve Rackham tips the ball over the net as Marquette's Jessica Klein (4) prepares for the return Friday at Carmichael Auditorium.

The North Carolina volleyball team topped Marquette 3-1 (30-18, 30-19, 22-30, 30-24) to win its 30th game of the season. It is the first time since 1985 and the sixth time in school history that the team has reached the 30 win plateau.

Senior outside hitter Laura Greene led the Tar Heels (30-3) with 25 kills and 15 digs while becoming the first player in UNC history to record 1,500 kills and 1,500 digs in her career, now with 1,633 kills and 1,510 digs.

Senior outside hitter Malaika Underwood recorded double-digit kills (11) as did freshman outside hitter Dani Nyenhuis (10). Nyenhuis added a career-high 12 digs and senior setter Eve Rackham had 10 digs in the match.

UNC opened the match with a pair of wins 30-18 and 30-19. Greene led the way with eight kills in each game and the Tar Heels never trailed in either game.

In the third game, Shannon Devine led the Golden Eagles with five kills, and the Tar Heels were out-hit .297-.079. Marquette made just three attack errors to UNC's 10. Tied at 18, Marquette mustered a 12-4 run to win the game, 30-22.

Greene took control again in the fourth game, converting nine of 17 kill attempts and matching sophomore Caroline deRoeck for a team-high five digs. With the game tied 2-2, kills by Greene and Underwood were a key part of a 5-0 run from which the Tar Heels would not look back, winning 30-24.