CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – For the first time under 15th-year head coach John Dunning, the Stanford women's volleyball team has been swept in back-to-back matches, falling at North Carolina (17-25, 25-27, 22-25), Thursday, at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill.
Stanford (3-2) has lost back-to-back matches for the first time since 2013 and has dropped its first match to an unranked opponent for the first time since a regional final loss to Michigan in 2012.
North Carolina (2-4) hit .300 for the match, while holding Stanford to a .162 clip. The Tar Heels limited themselves to 13 hitting errors, while the Cardinal tallied 21. UNC also held a 9.0-8.0 edge in blocks.
Playing in her home state, senior setter Madi Bugg finished with 34 assists, eight digs and five blocks. Senior outside hitter Brittany Howard led all players with 13 kills, while redshirt sophomore middle blocker Merete Lutz finished with nine kills and three blocks.
North Carolina was led by Paige Neuenfeidt's 10 kills on a .533 attack percentage. Libero Tatiana Durr had a match-high 16 digs.
Stanford wraps-up its four-match road trip on Friday, Sept. 11 at Duke. First serve between the Cardinal and Blue Devils is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. PT.