Some days you've got it, and some days you don't.
The volleyball team traveled to Atlanta for the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, rolling past Virginia 16-14, 15-13, 15-13 on Friday, before being swept by host Georgia Tech, 15-7, 16-14, 15-10 in the semifinals on Saturday.
Duke split two regular season matches with the Cavaliers, and was familiar with Virginia's style of play.
"Virginia's the type of team where they play a scrappy defense and keep the ball in play," coach Linda Grensing said.
The first two games of the match were hard-fought battles in which the teams mostly traded points back and forth. Grensing remarked on the incredible defense played by both teams. In each of these games, Duke trailed the Cavaliers before surging back for the win.
By the third game, both teams were showing signs of fatigue, worn down by the intensity of the match. The Blue Devils' total team effort was a key in this game. Duke was lifted by its ability to count on all its players to maintain the level of play.
"We did a good job of staying in the game mentally and just physically outlasted Virginia," Grensing said. "Everyone was critical in terms of keeping us ahead physically."
The Blue Devils were led by sophomore Megan Irvine and ACC Rookie of the Year Sarah Peifer, who each registered 15 kills for the evening. Grensing also praised the play of junior setter Kristen Campbell, who collected 47 assists. Campbell was selected to the All-Tournament team for her stellar play in Duke's two matches.
Duke's match on Saturday with host Georgia Tech attracted a large crowd to watch the home team play.
"The atmosphere was very loud, very exciting," Grensing said. "The crowd was just involved in every point of the match."
Though Duke was swept in three sets by the Yellow Jackets, the play was no less exciting than Friday's match against Virginia. At the end of the contest, the crowd was cheering for both sides, no matter who won the point. Though Duke played well, the toughness it displayed in outlasting Virginia just didn't carry over.
The play of Duke's three second team all-ACC selections, Peifer, Irvine, and Campbell, continued to lead the Blue Devils. Freshman Jami Ediger also sparked the Blue Devils with 10 kills, and Grensing also commended the play of fellow freshman Dominique Philipp.
Rochelle Komula set the pace for the Yellow Jackets with 24 kills and a phenomenal .513 hitting percentage. As a team, Tech finished with a hitting percentage of .354.
"I think basically Georgia Tech just ended up having a great match, and we mentally just didn't stay in it," Grensing said.
The loss to Georgia Tech probably means the end of Duke's season. The Blue Devils came into the tournament with hopes of clinching a bid to the NCAA Tournament, but now will wait to see the results of other conference tournaments and hope a bid comes their way.
"If we would have finished in the top two [in the tournament] it would have been a more realistic chance," Grensing said. "Now it's more of a long shot."
Three seniors: Liz Neuhaus, Laura Krech and Jenny Stadler, graduate from this team, whose record of 15-12 is a huge improvement over last year's 7-18 finish. Grensing described Stadler, who was new to the team this year, as instrumental in the Blue Devils' chemistry, and credited Krech and Neuhaus with helping to transform last year's losing team into a winner.
"That was a great mark they left on the program," Grensing said.
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