UNC Women's Volleyball picks up monumental sweep over No. 11-ranked Florida

What a night it was at Carmichael Arena!

The UNC women's volleyball program, ranked No. 25 in the country, swept No. 11-ranked Florida as part of the SEC/ACC Showdown at the Net Challenge.

While the win is a big one in itself (given the rankings and national relevance of the contest) this victory means so much more for Mike Schall and the Tar Heels.

Coming into Tuesday night's contest, Florida had won 12 of 13 matches between the two squads. North Carolina's lone win in the series came back in 1985 (the second meeting ever), as the Gators have won 11 straight over the Tar Heels.

To add to that, Florida has swept each of the four meetings prior to this one!

That streak was snapped in grand fashion on Tuesday night!

North Carolina edged out a win in the first set, winning by a score of 25-25. They took that momentum into the ensuing sets, winning the next two by scores of 25-18 and 25-21 respectively.

The Gators tried to build some momentum in the third set, building a four point lead. From that point, North Carolina regained control, going on a 5-0 run while taking 11 of the next 14 points, giving them an edge that they would not relinquish.

Safi Hampton had another outstanding performance, recording 11 kills to lead the Tar Heels. Hailey Pearce also recorded double-digit kills, while Chelsea Thorpe (7 kills) and Jackie Taylor (6 kills) helped pace the offensive attack. Zoe Behrendt was credited with 16 assists and 8 digs, making a strong effort on both sides of the court.

The victory marks North Carolina's first non-conference ranked win since September 9, 2016. While it's a win at the early portion of the season, it's a monumental one for this team and the program as a whole, as the Tar Heels are showing the world that they are ready to compete at an elite level.