Volleyball coach Jolene Nagel spent some time at Home Depot this season. After last year's 9-20 mark, Nagel had a lot of rebuilding to do with the Blue Devils, and she laid a pretty solid foundation this season.
Duke finished the season just below the .500 mark at 13-14, but thanks to a strong second half of the season, the Blue Devils took fifth in the ACC.
With a new coaching staff in place, Duke's finish in the ACC was not the only thing that changed.
"We had a great transition with our new coaches," senior Jami Ediger said. "There was such a positive atmosphere in the gym and on the court while we were playing.... We were really a family this year. We have such a young team, and it was great just watching everyone grow so much throughout the season."
The year got off to a rather slow start for Duke, though. It headed into conference play with a 3-4 record, then dropped five of its first six ACC matches.
The lowest point of the season occurred in mid-October, when the Blue Devils traveled to Raleigh and Chapel Hill for the weekend. Both N.C. State and North Carolina earned victories over Duke that weekend. The loss to the Wolfpack was the Blue Devils' first in three years.
"We knew we had been here before and gone down this road, but I knew that was not how I wanted my senior year to end up," Ediger said. "It was discouraging for us, but the coaches stayed positive and the team responded well."
But things soon turned around for the young squad. Dominique Philipp, one of three seniors on the team, and freshman Jill Sonne each pounded 21 kills in a 3-2 marathon win over Maryland
"In the first half of our conference schedule, I felt like we were in every match and could have won a lot of those matches that we lost," Nagel said. "Little by little the team also realized that we could have won many of those matches. The Maryland match was so important because we hadn't gotten a big ACC win and were really hungry for one."
After a 2-6 start in the conference, the Blue Devils put together a run over the last eight games in which they went 5-3.
The culmination of this second-half run came in the form of redemption from Duke's earlier rivalry weekend disappointments.
Sonne stepped up her play once again, recording 18 kills, 11 digs and nine blocks in a 3-1 win over N.C. State.
Just two days later, conference-leading North Carolina came to town. The Blue Devils had dropped three straight to the Tar Heels heading into the contest, but Ediger and Philipp had different plans for their final game vs. UNC.
Ediger was the defensive force for Duke, registering 21 digs and 11 blocks, while Philipp supplied the offensive punch with 22 kills. With the game score tied at 2-2, the match headed to a fifth and deciding game.
Despite having a 1-4 record in five-game matches, the Blue Devils rallied for the 17-15 win in the fifth game. The loss for the Tar Heels essentially ended their hopes to win the ACC regular season championship.
"I could not have imagined having a better weekend to go out on," Ediger said. "We always talk about being the best in the Triangle.... So, it was great, especially since we see those players from State and Carolina in the mall and around places all the time."
But the season ended on a down note, as Virginia defeated Duke for the third time this season to eliminate the Blue Devils from the ACC tournament.
"The loss to Virginia was very disappointing for us," Nagel said. "But at the same time, we can't forget the many individual improvements and performances that we'd had all season."
Although the Blue Devils will be losing Philipp, who led the team in kills and digs, and Ediger, who has played in nearly every game of her Duke career, they have a solid nucleus returning.
Juniors Pamela Gottfred and Ashley Harris started every match this season and led the team in assists and blocks, respectively. Sonne was an all-around force for Duke in her freshman campaign, finishing second on the team in kills, hitting percentage and blocks and third in digs.
"I had confidence we could have success rebuilding things here," Sonne said. "I hoped I would really be able to influence and help the team.
"We're losing some really good seniors, and it's going to be tough replacing those spots. The majority of our team is really young, though. And hopefully we will just continue to improve."
The Blue Devils certainly took big steps in the right direction this season, but they do not plan on resting on their laurels, as there is still much to work on.
"I'm very pleased as I look back at the year," Nagel said. "They were one of the most enjoyable teams I've ever coached, and this year was my 17th season. I'm really excited about our spring workouts because I know everyone is eager to improve even more."
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