The volleyball team played Atlantic Coast Conference leader North Carolina tightly throughout the match in Chapel Hill Friday night but lost 3-0 in the end. The Blue Devils rebounded Saturday night, however, with a 3-1 win over N.C. State.
Duke (8-16, 3-10 in the ACC) fell behind early to the 24th-ranked Tar Heels (21-5, 9-2) and could not sustain a rally to get back in the match. UNC won the first game by a score of 15-10 and opened a 6-0 lead in the second game. Behind the serve of junior Sarah Peifer, the Blue Devils crept back into the game but could not finish the rally, as UNC won the game, also by a 15-10 count.
Duke came out focused in game three, opening a 4-0 lead on the Tar Heels. From that point the game went back and forth, with the Blue Devils eventually holding an 11-8 lead and hoping to force a fourth game. But the Tar Heels would not be denied. Between the power of Carolina's front line and Duke errors, the home team pulled out game three, 15-12, and the match to run its home record to 13-0 this season.
"UNC just played more consistently at the end," coach Linda Grensing said. "They came through in the critical moments. But we finally played the kind of defense we're capable of, so that gave us something to build on."
Despite the loss, Peifer had an excellent performance, recording 17 kills, 23 digs and two service aces. She made some big hits on tough points near the end and made an amazing one-handed diving save on a ball five feet behind the back line.
Junior Dominique Philipp also recorded double figures in kills, with 11, and freshman Ashley Harris contributed 18 digs and three aces.
It appeared as if Duke's struggles would continue Saturday night against N. C. State (10-15, 0-12), as it lost the first game of the match, 17-15. But the Blue Devils overcame a mammoth effort by the Wolfpack's Laura Kimbrell, who recorded 27 kills and 26 digs, to hand State its 13th-straight loss.
The Wolfpack kept the match close, but this time Duke won the points when it really needed to for wins in the last three games. The Blue Devils hope that this momentum will carry over into the rest of their ACC contests.
"I think the ACC teams we play now, we feel we can be competitive against," Grensing said.
Once again, Peifer led the Duke effort with 26 kills, 16 digs and two aces. Junior Jami Ediger had a solid match, recording 17 kills and 14 digs, and Harris added eight kills and 10 digs.
This match was likely the Wolfpack's best ACC performance of the season, but Duke still managed to pull out the victory and complete the sweep for the season. The Blue Devils have defeated their foes from Raleigh seven consecutive times.
"N.C. State is always a great team in their gym," Grensing said. "They just play scrappy defense. Even though their record isn't that good, they play everyone tough at home."
Duke returns to action Tuesday night when it hosts ACC foe Wake Forest at 7:30 p.m.
Joel Israel contributed to this story.
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