This past weekend in Los Angeles, California, the volleyball team beat Oklahoma, Bradley and Loyola Marymount en route to winning the Loyola Marymount Invitational, kicking off their season with a 3-0 record. Dating back to last season, the team has now won 13 of its past 14 regular season matches, and appears poised to continue the success of last year's 23-5, ACC championship campaign.
"It was a great win for us and a great way to start the season," head coach Jolene Nagel said. "We have a lot of work ahead, but we really reaped the benefits of our hard work during the preseason."
The success may be familiar, but the team has changed during the off season, despite the return of four starters. Senior tri-captains Jill Sonne, Rachel Vander Griend and Josie Weymann welcome six newcomers, including five freshmen, to the 15-player squad.
"It was a great, cohesive team effort," said Nagel, the 2001 ACC coach of the year. "No matter who we put in, they played up to the level needed to win."
The new group held together well during its first challenge of the year, a 30-24, 30-22, 30-26 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners. Led offensively by Sonne, Vander Griend and juniors Krista Dill and Katie Gilman, the Blue Devils won their season opener for the fifth year in a row. Sophomore Stephanie Istvan was Duke's leader defensively, recording eight digs and 23 assists.
Duke took the second match of the tournament from the Bradley Braves, 30-23, 30-22, 30-16, Saturday morning. The same Blue Devils stepped up against the Braves, with Sonne and Vander Griend leading the way. The success against Bradley was augmented by Junior Ariel Linderman's team-leading 29 assists.
Saturday night, the Blue Devils completed their strong weekend and won the invitational with a 30-27, 30-27, 30-28, victory over Loyola Marymount. Sonne again played well for Duke, winning the tournament's Most Valuable Player award.
LMU fell to 2-1 on the year, while an unbeaten Duke squad will face High Point at Cameron Indoor Stadium Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m.
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