In the final regular season women’s volleyball showdown at Reynolds Coliseum, N.C . State (20-13, 8-12 ACC) lost to UNC-Chapel Hill (23-8, 15-5 ACC) in four sets.
State finished seventh in the final ACC standings, its best finish since 1999. Throughout the season, the team broke several school records, including conference wins in a season, longest winning streak and an ACC record six-consecutive five-set matches.
State started the game slowly, losing the first set 18-25. In the second set, the team made a 12-1 run to stamp their authority on the game. Helped by the Tar Heel’s 13 errors, the Pack claimed the second set 25-10 to tie the game at 1-1.
Both teams exchanged leads in the third set but, in the end, the Tarheels clinched it, 25-19.
The Pack opened the fourth set with a 7-1 advantage but the Heels came back and the set eventually tied at 22-22. The Heels proved too much for the Pack, finishing them off, 25-23.
Bunn was disappointed at the calls made by the referee but felt they were a part of the game and the team had to take it in their stride.
“It’s competitive and we thought they missed a couple of calls but that’s the way it goes,” Bunn said.
Bunn , whose team was the first since 1996 to post a winning season as well as 20 wins, felt that they would try to improve on what they had achieved this year and build on it for the next season.
“Speaking mathematically, we won four games in the ACC last year and eight this year so hopefully it will be 16 next year,” Bunn joked. “I am not sure it’s going to work that way. We want to improve on what we did this year. We want to get better every year.
“We are going to start training hard as soon we get back from the break and start preparing for next season,” Bunn said.
The team will lose four seniors, all who have contributed heavily to the team’s success this year.
“It’s going to be a big loss with all four of them. Back when Luc [Shafer] came here and took a chance on us as coaches from other schools, that played a huge role in what have done so far. Marge [ Salata ] we just found today was first team all-conference, so we are definitely going to miss her. Kelly [Wood] is the all time dig leader,” Bunn noted. “We are going to miss them, not just as players, but as people also.”
Salata, who is the first Wolfpack player in 13 years to make it to the All-ACC team, was in a loss for words when asked how she felt on receiving such an honor.
“Had you told me my freshman year that it would have happened, I would have never believed you,” Salata said. “This has been a really tough journey for me and this program, so to get that recognition is great. I am just so thankful and I am proud of my teammates and my coaches and I couldn’t have been happier.”
Freshman outside hitter Dariyan Hopper felt the team had played their best.
“I think that we came out with a lot of energy. I was really proud of the team,” Hopper said. “We wanted to win. It wasn’t the outcome but we left it all out on the court and that’s all we can ask for.”
Hopper, who was named as an All-ACC freshman, admitted it was a result of the hard work she had put in and the support of her teammates.
“In the beginning of the year, I wasn’t starting. I wasn’t playing well,” Hopper said. “I had the support of my teammates and they said ‘listen, you got to do this and that to be good.’ And I took their advice. I started to regain my confidence and I just wanted it and worked hard for it.”