Seventh-year Auburn head coach Rick Nold's hands were shaking slightly as he clipped the microphone to his collar for a post-match interview, the excitement from taking down the No. 15 team in the country radiating off of him, despite a humble smile.

Auburn, a team picked fifth in the Southeastern Conference preseason coaches poll only a few weeks ago, rode a balanced attack to a 3-1 (25-23, 25-22, 25-27, 25-21) victory over Atlantic Coast Conference favorites North Carolina at the Puerto Rico Clasico in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.



Senior outside hitter Macy Reece set a new season high with 13 kills, Northwestern transfer sophomore middle blocker Shaina White added 11, and junior outside hitter Brenna McIlroy, sophomore middle Gwyn Jones, and freshman middle Anna Stevenson each had nine.

Twenty digs from senior libero Jesse Earle helped hold Carolina to a .150 hitting percentage, and Alexa Filley quarterbacked the Tiger offense with 47 assists.



North Carolina's star outside hitter Taylor Leath hit negative with 12 kills and 13 errors, and the Tar Heels were playing without reigning ACC freshman of the year Julia Scoles, who is injured. 

In the second match of the night inside the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum, Florida handily defeated NC State 25-17, 25-16 25-22.

Senior duo middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan and opposite Shainah Joseph led the team with nine kills each and no hitting errors, for hitting percentages of .750 and .600, respectively. As a team the Gators hit .354 to NC State's .172.

In the second and final day of the Puerto Rico Clasico, NC State and Auburn will face off at 6 PM ET, and Florida and North Carolina play the tournament closer at 8:30 PM ET. Watch both matches LIVE right here on FloVolleyball.