Boston College Athletics
Boston College
4-10, 0-3ACC
North Carolina
10-3, 2-0ACC
Volleyball Outlasted by Tar Heels
September 25, 2011 | Volleyball
Sept. 25, 2011
boxscore 
Chestnut Hill, Mass. –The Boston College volleyball team was downed by North Carolina, 25-20, 25-16, 25-22, on Sunday afternoon in Power Gym. The Tar Heels (10-3, 2-0 ACC) escaped the Eagles (4-9, 0-3 ACC) in a pair of intense sets to take the win.
Senior Brennan Clark led all players with 17 digs, becoming just the second Eagle to ever surpass 1,500 career-digs as the Mililani, Hawaii native ended the day with 1,514 scoops in her time at the Heights.
Junior captain Krystle Higgins championed BC with 9.5 points, coming off of seven kills and a match-high five block assists. Freshman outside hitter Courtney Castle was slightly behind with nine points on eight kills and an ace.
Freshman setter Kellie Barnum distributed a match-high and career-mark of 29 assists, adding two aces, four digs and three total blocks.
The Tar Heels took the first point of the match with an ace, but junior Val Mattaliano responded with the first of her six kills to even the game on the next play. An error and kill from Mollie Kolosky put the Eagles up by two, 3-1. The senior registered an attack percentage of .500, with five kills. BC relied on swings from the righty, Castle and Higgins to pace the set, before UNC was able to draw even at 15. After an ace and error put the Eagles at a disadvantage, the Heels continued on to take the first set, 25-20.
North Carolina utilized a .300 attack percentage to claim the second set, 25-16.
Mattaliano and Kolosky opened the third with kills, before Higgins and her classmate stuffed UNC to give a 3-0 lead out of the gate. The Heels did not go away and fought back to even the set at nine, before going up on an ace, 10-9. Play advanced with UNC taking three of the next four points, 13-10, before extending its lead with a 6-3 run.
Following an Eagles timeout, sophomore Melissa McTighe delivered one of her four kills on the day to spur a run by BC. Down by five, 19-14, Barnum aced the side, kills from Castle and North Carolina errors drew BC within two, 20-18. Kolosky, McTighe, Higgins and Barnum all picked up blocks as the sides traded points, 23-21.
After an error awarded North Carolina match point, 24-21, sophomore Alexandra Trobbe put away a shot to keep the Eagles alive, but the Heels denied a shot on the next rally to end the match in the third, 25-22.
Boston College resumes conference play at home on Thursday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. against Virginia Tech. Fans unable to attend are invited to follow along via GameTracker.
