After Boston College volleyball’s Sept. 7 victory over Hartford—BC’s seventh straight win at the time—middle blocker Kate Brennan alluded to the competition the Eagles would be up against as their season progressed.
“As we go through our schedule, the games get tougher and tougher, so it is important to stay consistent,’’ she said last month.
Brennan’s premonition has come true. The Eagles have dropped their last five games and have earned only one conference win this season. BC (13–8, 1–6 Atlantic Coast) failed to break the trend on Friday night, as it fell to North Carolina 3–0 by scores of 15–25, 21–25, and 18–25.
A vibrant home crowd energized the Tar Heels (11–7, 3–4). After BC scored the first point of the first set, North Carolina scored three straight points, and the Eagles never regained their lead. BC showed flashes of hope with Jenna Pollock coming up with a couple clutch kills, but the Eagles never closed the gap and lost the first set 15–25.
Determined to return to Chestnut Hill with a win, BC came out firing in the second game and raced to a 12–5 lead. Brennan, Pollock, Alayna Crabtree, and Katrina Jensen led the run, and the Tar Heels, who looked rattled on their home court, committed seven errors.
North Carolina regained its composure, though, and went on an 8–1 run to tie the game up at 13 apiece. The game went down to the wire, but the Tar Heels went on a 3–1 run to end it. The Eagles’ early effort went unrewarded, as North Carolina won the set 25–21.
The last set painted the same picture as the first. BC never held a lead throughout the entire set, and North Carolina quickly downed the Eagles 25–18.
Sophomore outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster led the Tar Heels, finishing with a game-high 12 kills and eight digs. Kaya Merkler added nine kills to round off North Carolina’s win.
Crabtree, who’s dominated up front for BC all season and leads the team with 213 kills on the season, recorded a team-high eight kills for the Eagles. Pollock added five kills and two blocks.
