Entering its match with Maryland Friday evening, Duke needed a victory to bolster its chances for a bid to the NCAA Tournament. At the end of the night, the No. 24 Terrapins left Cameron Indoor Stadium with their first loss in 10 matches, as the Blue Devils defeated Maryland, 3-0, to remain in fourth place in the ACC.
The win over Maryland (24-3, 15-3 in the ACC) marks the first time Duke (18-7, 12-5) has defeated a ranked opponent since Oct. 15, 2002, when they knocked off then-No. 20 Georgia Tech, 3-2. The Blue Devils' 3-0 victory also marks the first shutout of a ranked opponent since Oct. 17, 1992, when Duke routed then-No. 17 Georgia.
"We knew that they would be tough to beat," middle blocker Carrie DeMange said. "But we were able to keep our focus and play as a team."
Coupled with their 3-0 victory over Boston College (7-20, 2-16) Saturday night, the Blue Devils also extended their home winning streak to 12 matches. Duke has not lost at home this season.
In the match's first game, Duke and Maryland traded points on the way to a tie at 24. With Sarah Salem serving, the Blue Devils reeled off five straight points to take a 29-24 lead, eventually taking the first game, 30-25.
Senior Samantha Fisher came off the bench to post two kills and a block in that sequence, and the Blue Devils were able to carry the momentum throughout the match.
"We continued to be able to put pressure on them, and I'm just really proud of how the team played tonight," head coach Jolene Nagel said.
After the first game, the Blue Devils cruised, winning games two and three 30-20 and 30-19, respectively. DeMange led Duke with 16 kills and a career-high 21 digs, giving the sophomore her 18th double-double of the season. Ali Hausfeld added 37 assists and 10 digs of her own, and junior Tealle Hunkus posted 12 kills and 12 digs.
"We did a really good job of controlling our own destiny tonight," Nagel said. "When we got a chance to touch the ball, we did with it what we wanted to do instead of always being on the defensive. We set the tempo."
Nagel was particularly pleased with the team's hustle, as numerous players were diving all over the floor for loose balls. Four Blue Devils picked up nine or more digs in the match, including Jenny Shull's team-high 28.
"We did a tremendous job with that tonight, with every ball whether it was a good chance to get it or not," Nagel said. "That pursuit and energy was one of our focuses tonight, and I think we did a great job to make sure that it continued to happen no matter what."
Defensive hustle was the major difference from the last time the two teams met, when Duke fell to the Terrapins, 3-0, Oct. 16 in College Park, Md. The Blue Devils recorded 82 digs Friday, a sharp increase from the 50 they had against Maryland last month.
Saturday against the Eagles, freshman Jourdan Norman led Duke with 13 kills while Fisher chipped in 10. Hausfeld recorded her 13th double-double of the season with 40 assists and 11 digs. The win was the Blue Devils' third straight shutout.
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