When you win eight consecutive matches, as the volleyball team did earlier this season, you might begin to wonder about how far you can go. A conference championship, perhaps an NCAA tournament berth?
But if you drop two in a row, including your first conference match of the season, you might begin to ask whether or not you can learn to win after suffering a loss.
After Duke played conference rival Maryland, the answer became obvious-this team learns quickly.
The Blue Devils (10-4, 1-1 in the ACC) walked into College Park Saturday afternoon, coming off of a loss for only the fourth time this season, and left victorious after a four-game match against the host Terrapins (9-5, 1-2).
The team's play was much more reminiscent of the glittery performances of early in the season than it was the mediocre play of the losses against Indiana and Virginia last week.
With the help of senior Nina Rybak, who made her presence felt early in the match, the Blue Devils got off to a quick start. Ryback contributed 31 assists in helping the Blue Devils to victory.
"Nina came in in game two and really did an excellent job setting," coach Jolene Nagel said. "She was also an extremely successful passer."
After taking the first game 15-11, Duke dropped the second game by the same score. But the Blue Devils quickly killed any thoughts of a Maryland victory by disposing of the Terrapins 15-6 in the third game and 15-10 in the finale. Junior Bryn Gallagher and sophomore Jill Sonne led the team with 18 and 17 kills, respectively, while junior Ashley Harris also played solidly, recording a hitting percentage of .379. Sonne also had game-highs with 19 digs and a .652 hitting percentage.
The one weakness of the match for Duke was its erratic serving, as it committed 21 service errors as opposed to Maryland's 10. Still, the Blue Devils were able to overcome this setback and fend off the Terrapins' attempt at a comeback with very strong passing and a solid defense anchored by Sonne. In addition, two freshman, middle blockers Katie Gillman and Krista Dill, played extremely well Saturday, with Gillman totaling 15 digs and Dill having 3 block assists and 1 solo block.
"This was a great team effort," Nagel said. "A lot of people did great things for us today."
If the Blue Devils can string together another long streak of wins, it will be the same strong, balanced team attack displayed Saturday that will take them there, because they will receive little help from their opponents. After hosting non-conference foe North Carolina A&T tomorrow night, Duke entertains five ACC opponents within a period of 10 days. And it doesn't get any easier after that, as the Blue Devils will go on a four-game road trip immediately after their home stand.
This will be no easy feat for a team that features six freshmen. The only question that remains now, is whether or not this young team can maintain a winning streak at the right time.
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