CLEMSON, S.C – Clemson Volleyball fought off a 2-1 set deficit against North Carolina and forced a decisive fifth set before ultimately falling to the Tar Heels (18-5, 7-5 ACC) in five, 17-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 14-16. Clemson (11-12, 3-9 ACC) fell to 7-6 inside Jervey Gym for the season.
Graduate Transfer Kaylee Martin led all players with a season-high 23 kills on .432 hitting, while true freshman Azyah Dailey notched 3 blocks and a season-high 15 kills to lead Clemson offensively. The Tigers’ 14.0 blocks defensively were its third-best total of the season, and Ani Clark was in on a career-best 10 of them. Clark also added seven kills on the night, and Ava Pritchard added four. Setter Mckenna Slavik recorded a career-high-tying 52 assists and guided Clemson to 65 kills and .272 hitting for the day. On the defensive end, Anna Renwick registered 15 digs.
The Tar Heels took command of the first set 25-17, after going on multiple 6-0 runs. Clemson responded in the second set, hitting .324 behind seven kills from Kaylee Martin and took the set 25-23. The Tigers kept the match competitive into the third with eight ties and three lead changes, before falling 25-23.
The Tigers pushed it to five with a 25-20 win in the fourth set behind six blocks, in a set in which they led throughout. In the fifth, the Tigers fell behind early, but fought back to knot it at 9-9.
UNC rattled off four of the next five to take a 13-10 lead. Clemson would again fight back after the Heels led, 14-12 as Kaylee Martin put down her 23rd kill and Dailey and Pritchard combined on a block to tie the score at 14 apiece. UNC put the match away with the final two points to take the match.
Up Next:
Clemson returns to Jervey Gym this week against Florida State at 7 p.m. on Friday and Miami at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
