The volleyball team downed Wake Forest 3-1 Friday, earning a crucial road win that extends Duke's winning run to five. Freshman Sarah Salem and junior Arielle Linderman both turned in career performances, which improved the streaking Blue Devils to 19-6 on the season and 7-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Duke won the first two games of the match, 30-20 and 30-19. The Demon Deacons came back to win the close third match, 30-25. The Blue Devils ended any hometown hopes of victory with a 30-21 win in the fourth game of the match. The win was important for the Duke squad, which is aiming for the conference championship this year.
"Now, we're playing every game like it's the ACC tournament," junior Krista Dill said, explaining the recent streak. "We're practicing and playing with a purpose."
The added purpose was evident in the play of both Salem and Linderman. Salem logged a match-best 24 kills and a .396 hitting percentage.
"That was definitely the best volleyball I've played in college," Salem said.
Linderman weighed in with career highs in blocks and kills with four and nine, respectively. She also recorded a match-high .429 hitting percentage and 29 assists.
"I really wanted to block well and create a balanced offense," Linderman said, "and I think I was able to."
The five-game streak has come entirely against conference competition, and has been credited to hard work earlier in the season and a change in attitude.
The victory was sweetened by the three-game drubbing the Blue Devils had received at the hands of Wake Forest in Cameron this September.
"[That loss] really motivated us," Dill said. "Wake is a good opponent, but we're a tough opponent for other teams, too."
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