The No. 3-ranked Louisville Cardinals celebrated Senior Day in style, sweeping the North Carolina Tar Heels 25-10, 25-18, 25-13 at the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena on Sunday. The victory improves Louisville’s record to 23-3 overall and 15-1 in ACC play, as the team honored seniors Sofia Maldonado Diaz, Charitie Luper, Phekran Kong, Elena Scott, and Anna DeBeer in their final home match.
Match Highlights
Louisville showcased its dominance by hitting .430 with 43 kills, 13 blocks, and seven aces. Anna DeBeer led the charge with 14 kills, four digs, four blocks, and an ace, earning her “Hometown Hero” status in front of the home crowd. Fellow seniors Maldonado Diaz and Luper added eight and seven kills, respectively, with Luper also contributing two aces. Phekran Kong was a force at the net with a match-high eight blocks and five kills, while Elena Scott anchored the defense with 23 digs.
North Carolina struggled offensively, hitting just .117. Emani’ Foster led the Tar Heels with seven kills, while Alexis Engelbrecht, Safi Hampton, and Chelsea Thorpe each added six.
Set-by-Set Recap
- Set 1: Louisville 25, UNC 10
The Cardinals opened strong with a 3-0 lead and extended it with a commanding 6-0 run, highlighted by DeBeer’s kills and Kong’s blocking presence. A dominant 8-0 run late in the set sealed Louisville’s 25-10 win, with Luper’s kill and a UNC attack error ending the frame. - Set 2: Louisville 25, UNC 18
UNC started the second set with a 4-0 run but couldn’t maintain the momentum. Louisville fought back with a 4-0 run capped by DeBeer’s kills to take the lead at 12-11. The Cardinals then unleashed a 7-0 run, powered by DeBeer and Cresse, to pull away. Maldonado Diaz’s kill secured set point as Louisville hit .552 with 17 kills in the frame. - Set 3: Louisville 25, UNC 13
The final set saw a tight start with four ties early on, but Louisville pulled away with a decisive 6-0 run to finish the match. The streak featured standout blocking from Kong and Maldonado Diaz and two aces from Kamden Schrand, with the second ace clinching the set and the sweep.
Up Next
The Cardinals will hit the road to face the 20-7 Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville this Friday. With ACC title implications on the line, Louisville will look to maintain its momentum and close the regular season strong.
