Dec. 6, 2002

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-The North Carolina volleyball team earned its first Sweet 16 appearance in program history with a 3-1 (30-23, 28-30, 30-26, 30-23) victory over South Carolina in Carmichael Auditorium. The Tar Heels will play the winner of the midnight EST match between the University of Washington vs. Hawaii. The Regional round will be played at a site that will be determined by the NCAA this Sunday.

Senior outside hitter Laura Greene and sophomore outside hitter Molly Pyles each recorded 23 kills in the win. Pyles put down the game-winning kill in each of UNC's victories, the final two coming on assists by senior setter Eve Rackham, who recorded 56 assists on the night. The Tar Heels improved to 32-3 with the win, while the Gamecocks fell to 22-7.

"It's the best feeling in four years," Greene said. "It's such a huge win for our program and our conference. It's a great thing to know that you worked for four years to get to this point. Going from 'others receiving votes' and getting excited about seeing your name at the bottom of that poll, to earning the respect of a Top 16 team."

Defensively, both teams recorded more than 80 kills, with Greene leading the way for the Tar Heels with 21. Rackham, Pyles, senior outside hitter Malaika Underwood and sophomore libero Caroline deRoeck all recorded double-digit digs, with Underwood recording a double-double with 10 kills.

"It's a very emotional win because it is a first for me, this program and these seniors," said 13th-year head coach Joe Sagula. "To be able to reach a goal like this and go further than we ever have, it's just such an emotional high for all of us."

Pyles recorded 11 kills in the opening game while hitting .786 leading the Tar Heels to a 30-23 win. With the Gamecocks ahead 15-16, a kill and an ace by Underwood spurned a 5-0 UNC run that built a lead that would not be relinquished.

South Carolina came back to win the second game on the six kills by Niece Curry and 12 digs by Yajaira Cadet. The Tar Heels built an early 12-5 lead on a kill by senior middle Holly Strauss, but South Carolina battled back to tie down the stretch at 28-28 before getting the winning kill on a block by Curry and Sal Alban.

In the third game, Greene, the ACC Player of the Year, recorded eight kills to lead UNC. Rackham had 17 assists while her team hit .356. The game was back and forth from the start with 12 ties up to the 21-21 mark. From there kill by Strauss and Pyles and a Gamecock attack error built a three point lead that the Tar Heels would hold on to.

The Tar Heels again hit .356 in the final game lead by Greene's nine kills and .500 hitting. Another back and forth battle was opened up with a 5-0 North Carolina run that began with a kill by junior middle Aletha Green. The Tar Heels would not look back, with Pyles leading the team into the next round with the final kill of the match. Facing one blocker because of Strauss's decoy run, Pyles pounded home her 23rd kill.