The Duke volleyball team is back on track.
The Blue Devils (10-3 overall, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) ended their three-game losing streak by crushing Maryland and Virginia this weekend.
Friday night at Maryland, the team rode outstanding performances by senior co-captain Ashley Wacholder and freshman Maureen Reindl to a straight-set victory, 15-5, 15-9, 15-9. Wacholder, with 13 kills and 12 digs, and Reindl, with 10 kills and 10 digs, led a balanced Blue Devil attack.
"We were very good at passing, and we ran our offense well," head coach Jon Wilson said. "The team was very good on both sides of the ball, and the stats bear that out."
Duke continued to dominate Saturday night, as the team cruised to an easy win over Virginia, 15-5, 15-5, 15-10. This time, an excellent Blue Devil defense made the difference, as Duke held UVa to a minuscule .066 hitting percentage.
"Defensively, we did very well," Wilson said. "Everybody got to play, and everybody who played, played well."
The Blue Devils attributed their fine performance to better concentration and attention to details.
"We were a lot more focused than we have been lately," senior defensive specialist Tami Peterson said. "We had a lot more communication out there."
"We've improved on the little details," freshman setter Kristen Campbell said. "Mentally, we were more aware that we need to remain steady."
The team's overall quality of play impressed Wilson, who was pleased with his team's focus.
"I was proud of the way the team bounced back," Wilson said. "We played hard, and we played with a lot of intensity."
Until recently, the Blue Devils had played well in nearly every game. When they lost to North Carolina on September 27th, however, they failed to show their mental toughness.
"Outside of [the loss to UNC], we're right where we need to be," Wilson said. "We learned from the string of losses. Now we're starting to climb out of [our slump]."
The team's road trips to Nebraska, Maryland and Virginia, with their long bus and plane rides, may have provided the basis for the squad's improved communication.
"We've been traveling a lot and spending a lot of time together," Campbell said. "That brings a team together."
Also, tough game situations, especially in opponents' packed gyms, have forced the Blue Devils to work together better.
"Each game, we're coming closer together," Peterson said. "We fed off the Nebraska crowd."
Now that they have returned to their winning ways, the Blue Devils hope to knock off one of their most-hated enemies, Texas. The Longhorns have beaten Duke in all five of the teams' meetings, including last year, when Texas knocked Duke out of the NCAA tournament.
"For me, it's revenge," Peterson said. "Texas has always been a good team. They have a lot of size, so we'll have to beat them with our smarts."
"Instead of playing their power game, we're going to have to concentrate on playing a smarter game," Campbell said.
Despite admiring his players' excitement, Wilson believes that the team must maintain its focus.
"The road trip to Texas is important to us for our regional rankings," Wilson said. "Texas is quite a different team from last year."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.