NC State volleyball will renew its rivalry with UNC-Chapel Hill Wednesday, with a trip to Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill.

The Wolfpack (7-5, 1-1 ACC) and the Tar Heels (4-7, 0-2 ACC) haven’t gotten off to the best of starts in conference play, but this match can right the ship for both squads. A victory for NC State separates it from the middle of the pack, while a Tar Heel victory could give UNC some needed momentum and halt its race to the bottom of the conference.

Last time out for the Pack, it beat Notre Dame in four sets at Reynolds Coliseum to halt a two-match losing streak, in which the Wolfpack only won a single set. For the Tar Heels, their last match was an impressive 3-2 loss to Louisville in Carmichael Arena. Thus far, UNC is only 2-3 at home.

The players to watch from the Wolfpack are sophomore outside hitter Melissa Evans and senior middle blocker Teni Sopitan. Evans and Sopitan carry the brunt of the load offensively for NC State, with 166 and 155 kills, respectively, good for over half the output for the entire offense.

Sopitan provides valuable senior leadership and Evans is the spark that keeps the team going. NC State will only go as far as Sopitan and Evans take them.

On the Tar Heels’ side, it’s a one-woman show. Freshman opposite hitter Destiny Cox has 138 kills on the year, the most on the team by far. Cox ranks seventh in the ACC in kills per set, at 3.54, with the aforementioned Evans close behind at 3.46.  

This matchup kicks off a four-game road trip for the Wolfpack. After Chapel Hill, the Pack will head north to Blacksburg, Virginia to take on Virginia Tech. Pack volleyball will then travel down to the state of Florida where Florida State and Miami await. NC State’s next home game will be Oct. 12 against Virginia.