The Jackets headed out on the road to face the North Carolina Tar Heels on Oct. 28 and the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Oct. 30. Riding four straight wins, the Jackets were ready to take their fifth consecutive win against the Tar Heels.
The Jackets were off to a rocky start as the first set began. The two teams continued to give points back and forth until the Jackets claimed a three-point run to widen the score to 11-8. The Jackets continued to keep the lead, but North Carolina struck back. The Tar Heels overcame the Jackets’ by scoring nine consecutive points to take the lead, 22-19. The Jackets were able to tie the score once again at 23-23. However, the Tar Heels took the last two points to win the set, 26-24.
After losing the first set, the Jackets bounced back at the beginning of the second set by taking an early 4-1 lead. The Jackets continued to widen the gap by taking the lead into double digits, 15-4. Although North Carolina was able to gain a few points, the Jackets took eight out of nine points to win the second set with a final score of 25-8.
The Jackets continued the energy into the third set by taking the early lead, 4-1. Throughout the entire third set, the Jackets maintained the lead and snagged another set win with another double digit final score, 25-16.
Entering into the fourth set, North Carolina was determined to keep the game going. The two teams traded points between each other until the Jackets started to widen the lead. After a five-point run, the Jackets were able to take an 18-11 lead. North Carolina fired back with a five-point run, but the Jackets were quick to finish the set off with a 25-20 score and a 3-1 match win.
Senior Julia Bergmann played another historic night by surpassing 1,000 digs in her career after ending the bout with eight digs and 21 kills throughout the match. Junior Tamara Otene also helped lead the team to a successful win after hitting a season-high of 17 kills and six blocks. Junior Isabella D’Amico totaled a career-high of 49 assists, and graduate senior Breland Morrissette tallied a career-high of six blocks.
The Jackets continued on the road to face the Wolfpack on Oct. 30. As the first set started, NC State quickly took the lead, 8-3. NC State tried to keep the lead, but the Jackets continued to keep it close by tying up the score at 14-14 after a four-point run. The two teams traded points back and forth until the Jackets started to widen the gap, 23-20. Although NC State tried to bounce back and win the set, the Jackets finished the set off with a 25-22 win.
The Jackets carried the energy into the second set and immediately took the lead, 7-2. As the second set continued, the Jackets continued to keep the lead and widened the gap even more with a 15-7 lead. The Jackets kept the lead throughout the set and won the set 25-16.
With the Jackets being one set away from a sweep, NC State made sure to keep the game alive. NC State was quick to take the lead 6-2, but the Jackets came back by taking seven consecutive points to overturn the lead 12-9. However, NC State fired back by tying the game up at 14-14. The two teams gave points back and forth and were still tied at 23-23, but NC State claimed the last two points to win the third set, 25-23.
The fourth set started off with the Jackets claiming the first three points of the set. NC State bounced back to tie the game 4-4, but the Jackets were quick to take the lead once again, 9-5. NC State tied the game once again at 11-11. However, the Jackets went on another five-point run to widen the gap to 16-11. The Jackets continued to keep the lead until NC State fired back to tie the game once again, 20-20, but the Jackets took the last two points to win the set, 25-22, and a 3-1 finish.
Bergmann led the team with 25 kills and 66 attacks. Along with Bergmann, Otene landed 12 kills and 35 attacks throughout the night. Sophomore Bianca Bertolino also helped the team with 23 digs, and D’Amico led the Jackets with 49 assists.
The Jackets will head south to face the Miami Hurricanes at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4 and the FSU Seminoles at 1 p.m. on Nov. 6.