Important series awaits

Tonight will be one of the biggest volleyball games in the ACC this season, pits the only two remaining undefeated teams in the conference—Duke and North Carolina—against each other in a crosstown rivalry in Cameron Indoor Stadium at 7 p.m.

Embarking on their third match of a four-game homestand, the Blue Devils (13-2, 5-0 in the ACC) are looking to break the lock for first place against a Tar Heel team that leads the ACC in three offensive categories: kills per set (14.38), assists per set (13.51) and digs per set (17.90). North Carolina (15-4, 6-0) is on an 11-match winning streak and ranks third in opponent hitting percentage at .147—just shy of Duke’s .144 mark.

“It’s always such a big rivalry, and North Carolina is very competitive and plays with a lot of intensity, so it’ll be a good battle,” head coach Jolene Nagel said. “They’re very scrappy on defense, and they get balls up that you think will be down, and they keep rallies going, so they’ll be a tough opponent for us.”

Despite tonight’s implications for the conference standings, Nagel said the team is focusing less on the big picture and more on facing the Tar Heels as just the next opponent—no more or less than any other conference foe.

“The Duke-Carolina rivalry does make the game that much more exciting, but we’re trying not to put too much emphasis on the fact that both teams are undefeated because we’ve had different opponents and different schedules, so it matches up differently,” she said.

Following tonight’s match, the Blue Devils host an N.C. State team against whom they have had much recent success, sweeping the Wolfpack in each of the last three meetings. But N.C. State boasts a revamped squad this year, led by first-year head coach Bryan Bunn, as well as several newcomers on the court, including two Colorado transfers who form the core of the Wolfpack offense.

Despite its relative youth, N.C. State (12-5, 2-3) is the top defensive team in the conference, boasting a .141 opponent hitting percentage.

“The team looks very different this year with a new coach and new players, and we don’t expect them to be the same team as last year,” Nagel said.