CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (SMU) – No. 7 SMU Volleyball had its eight-match win streak come to an end Friday night in North Carolina as it fell to the No. 21 Tar Heels in five sets (19-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-13, 13-15). With the loss, the Mustangs are now 16-5, 8-3 in ACC play.
 
Malaya Jones tied the program's 25-point rally scoring kill record with 27 kills on a .356 hitting percentage. She also recorded 18 digs, tying her career high. Christa Wilburn earned the first double-double of her career with 11 kills and 10 digs.
 
Favor Anyanwu put down nine kills and led the match with seven blocks. Averi Carlson dished out 49 assists and secured a double-double with 10 digs against the Tar Heels.
 
MATCH NOTES: 

• Jones had double-digit kills for the 17th time this season and has done so in seven straight matches. It was Jones' seventh 20 or more kill outing of the season. It was her fifth double-double of the season and the 22nd of her career.
• Carlson logged her eighth double-double of the season in Friday's match. 
• Wilburn reached double-figure kills for the second straight match and third time this season. 
• Schilling's 13 digs mark the eighth straight match she's been in double-figures this season. 

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE | North Carolina used a pair of three-point runs to go up 10-6 in the first set. Another strong stretch by the Tar Heels extended their lead to 10 (19-9). The Mustangs got some momentum going late with a 6-1 run to cut their deficit to six, but the run was too late as UNC was able to close out the set and hold on to their first set lead to win the frame 25-19.  

SET TWO | The second set was a more back-and-forth affair as the clubs traded blows until a three-point swing by the Mustangs put SMU up 16-15. Tied entering the redzone, SMU collected the first two points down the stretch on a service error followed by a kill from Madison Scheer. UNC managed to tie it up at 22-22, but SMU closed the frame out, scoring three of the final four, with all three kills coming from Jones. The Mustangs evened the match at one set each with a 25-23 set two decision. Jones led the way for SMU with six kills in the second, followed by three kills from Wilburn, Anyanwu, and Scheer.

SET THREE | Four straight by North Carolina gave the Tar Heels a one-point lead after SMU held a 13-10 advantage. UNC went up by as much as three in the frame, but the Mustangs answered each spurt by the Tar Heels, reaching within one twice in the red zone. However, North Carolina prevailed in the third to take a 2-1 advantage, finishing with three of the final four points in the frame. UNC held the Mustangs to their lowest hitting percentage of the match at .158 efficiency in the third set.
 
SET FOUR | SMU dominated the fourth set, turning up the defensive effort in the set. Favor Anyanwu was the catalyst of the most lopsided frame of the match, logging four kills on five swings and all three of the Mustangs' blocks in the frame. The Mustangs out-blocked the Tar Heels 3-0, an 18-13 advantage in digs and held UNC to a -.057 hitting percentage in the frame. Jones also had four kills in the set as SMU forced a deciding set with a 25-13 set four win.  

SET FIVE | The fifth set started like the second frame with both teams trading two-point spurts. Down 9-7, UNC rallied off four straight to take an 11-9 lead, forcing SMU to call a timeout. The Mustangs responded with two straight, both from Jones, to even the score at 11-11. Unfortunately, North Carolina strung together kills down the stretch to win the frame 15-13.
 
SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader: Malaya Jones (27)
SMU Assist Leader: Averi Carlson (49)
SMU Digs Leader: Malaya Jones (18)
SMU Blocks Leader: Favor Anyanwu (7)
SMU Ace Leader: Averi Carlson (2)
SMU Points Leader: Malaya Jones (28)
 
Up Next: SMU will take on Duke on Sunday, Nov. 2 in Durham, North Carolina. First serve is set for 12 p.m. CT. on ACCNX.