TALLAHASSEE – The Florida State volleyball team (15-11, 9-8) got its signature win on Friday night as it defeated No. 15 North Carolina (20-6, 13-4) in four sets (23-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-21) in Tully Gym. 
 
The win over the Tar Heels serves as the Seminoles’  first ranked win of the season. Florida State improves to 48-26 all-time over North Carolina and maintains a 32-8 advantage over UNC in the friendly confines of Tully Gym.
 
Senior outside hitter Iane Henke was firing on all cylinders, leading the offense with 23 kills for a .400 hitting percentage. On defense, she set a new season-high registering 15 digs and tied her career-high in blocks with five.
 
The first set was a battle for inches. Nine ties and four lead changes prevented either from gaining a sizable lead as the Noles and Tar Heels traded point after point. Henke provided a surge of critical kills that kept FSU in the race and totaled seven of the team’s 13 kills throughout the set. UNC would pull away at the end, taking set one 25-23. 
 
Florida State readjusted and worked ahead early in the second set. Service aces from Caylan Russ, Kyleene Filimaua and Lily Nicholson joined by strong defense at the net by Johanna Sova and Nenu Kpea contributed to a polarizing 11-2 scoring run. Five different Seminoles would register kills in a dominant 25-16 set two win, evening the contest at 1-1.
 
Set three saw the Seminoles jump ahead once again. A 6-1 surge featuring two kills from Henke and a service ace from Mio Yamamoto forced the Tar Heels into an early timeout. Though UNC would eventually find momentum, FSU matched their effort and never relinquished the lead. A combined 11 kills between Filimaua and Henke secured set three 25-21 for Florida State. 
 
North Carolina would prove unwilling to go down in the final set. Both sides fought tooth-and-nail, tying 16 times and forcing six lead changes before Florida State pulled away at the 20-point mark. Excellent blocking at the net coupled with timely kills from Henke prevented the Tar Heels from catching up, and a silencing swing by Lexie Mason won set four 25-21 for the Seminoles.
 
Florida State hit a season-high .353 as a team, managing 58 kills. The Seminoles had seven service aces to the Tar Heels’ three and put up 10 blocks to UNC’s eight. 
 
Florida State will host Duke on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. for their Throwback game. The game will air on the ACC Network Extra (ACCNX). 
 
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