After a slow start to the season, Duke has been working to prove that it has finally found its footing. Against North Carolina last night, the team had a chance to affirm that against the second-place ACC team—and they did so with a statement win.
In front of a season-high home crowd of 3,671 fans, the Blue Devils triumphed over the Tar Heels in straight sets, 25-18, 27-25, 25-22. The game was Duke’s first nationally televised game of the year, and will be the only time the two rivals face off in the regular season.
“We struggled early on, we know, but I think we’re starting to find our rhythm,” senior setter Kellie Catanach said. “We’re starting to establish who we are.... We’re really starting to figure it out. It’s exciting.”
The Blue Devils (13-6, 7-3 in the ACC) gave fans something to cheer about from the start with a display of offensive efficiency led by middle blocker Amanda Robertson. The senior finished the first period with five kills on six total attacks, often being set up by Catanach, who had 14 of the team’s 16 assists in the set. The team finished with a staggering .500 attack percentage in the period.
That offensive momentum carried over to the second set, when Duke took an early 3-0 lead, only to give up five unanswered points to an increasingly determined North Carolina (16-5, 8-2) squad. The most exciting play of the match occurred in this set, when the Blue Devils tied it up at six apiece after a rally in which the ball crossed the net 19 times.
The period continued its back-and-forth nature, with North Carolina fighting back from a set point to tie the game at 25-25. After this, though, they committed a service error and a block error on consecutive plays, giving Duke a 2-0 lead going into the intermission.
The Blue Devils’ strong fundamentals and execution in their gameplan forced the Tar Heels into making costly miscues.
“We received really well, so we were able to run our offense,” Catanach said. “Their blockers had trouble keeping up with our hitters because I could run whatever [play] I wanted to.”
Like the second game, the third one was closely contested, with a number of long rallies. But the Blue Devils were able to close it out, keeping North Carolina’s attack percentage to a miniscule .180 for the period and .226 for the game, well below their season rate of .262.
Duke, on the other hand, finished the game with an attack percentage of .356, overcoming North Carolina’s elite defense that had held opponents to a .177 clip entering play. The Blue Devils were led on offense by Sophia Dunworth with 15 kills and Robertson with 11.
For head coach Jolene Nagel, the win has several ramifications. Primarily, it was a critical win against a top conference opponent.
In addition, it was proof to her team that they have come a long way since their struggles at the beginning of the season, when at one point they lost three matches in a row. Furthermore, she added, it will be an important resume builder to the NCAA when the postseason rolls around.
“I’m just really happy the team could play as well as it did and as hard as [it] did on national television,” Nagel said. “That not only helps Duke volleyball, but Duke University…. The girls went out and represented like we needed to tonight.”
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