The volleyball team is going for its longest winning streak of the season tonight against North Carolina.
Duke is in the midst of a four-game run, and is hoping to extend the streak to five when it squares off against UNC at 7 p.m. in Chapel Hill.
Earlier this season the Blue Devils (15-6, 9-4 in the ACC) beat the Tar Heels (17-7, 12-2) in an extremely close five-game match Sept. 29.
The Tar Heels have lost only one contest-a Oct. 21 match against ACC-leader Maryland-since the teams' previous meeting. The win in Cameron Indoor Stadium also ended a ten-match losing streak to UNC.
"UNC is a tough team because they're scrappy and they don't give up," Nagel said. "They were down 2-0 against Virginia and came back to beat them in five games. Even if we're doing well against them, they are not going to give up until the final whistle, and we need to match that intensity."
The Blue Devils' victory against the Tar Heels coupled with their recent success has given the team a boost in confidence for the upcoming match. Following a stretch of four road games during which the team went 1-3, the Blue Devils' undefeated home stand renewed the team's confidence and created a new sense cohesiveness.
"The momentum we've gained from our victories is great," libero Jenny Shull said. "It has given us new confidence and has carried over into our game play. We can feel the difference."
Shull, who leads the team with 410 digs on the season, had a career-high 37 digs in the last match against UNC, good for second-most in school history.
"We depend on Jenny for services and to anchor our defense," Nagel said. "As long as she keeps doing what she is doing and plays solid our defense will be fine. She has an ability to make people around her play better when she does well."
Nagel also said that the team will rely on all-around strength and depth rather than the play of one star on offense. In their last match, against Georgia Tech Oct. 28, the Blue Devils had four players with more than ten kills.
"We have a very balanced attack." Nagel said. "Every game our team has four to five players in double-digit kills, rather than one player with 30 or more kills. We have to bring our all around game and make opportunities for our offense to do well."
Duke will also face N.C. State (7-15, 1-13) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Reynolds Coliseum.
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