After their weekend trip to Miami and Florida State, Duke has cemented their status as the dominant team in the ACC.
The Blue Devils (18-2, 11-0 in the ACC) swept the Hurricanes, 30-22, 30-20, 30-28, Friday night, and dispatched the Seminoles with similar ease, 30-21, 30-20, 30-27, Sunday afternoon. With the consecutive 3-0 decisions, the Blue Devils extended their winning streak to 11 matches and have lost only two of a total 35 games in ACC action.
"This road trip was a good test for us," head coach Jolene Nagel said. "Miami and Florida State had good crowds and were very competitive. It's great to finish the first round of ACC play strong, especially to win in three."
Following Friday's victory, Duke turned its attention to second-place Florida State (15-6, 9-3). Although the Seminoles were coming off an upset loss to Miami last Tuesday, the Blue Devils knew a victory would be no simple task.
"Losing to Florida State definitely would have been a step backward," Nagel said. "Defeating them gives credibility, and it gives respect."
Duke dominated, holding the Seminoles to a season-low .110 hitting percentage. Junior outside hitter Carrie DeMange led the Blue Devils with 12 kills, and junior setter Ali Hausfeld pitched in 43 assists.
"I was looking forward to this match as a chance to prove ourselves," junior libero Jenny Shull said.
With the victory, Duke grabbed clear possession of first place in the ACC. As the top team among "Other Teams Receiving Votes" in the Division I Coaches Poll for the last two weeks, the Blue Devils are now in position to move into the AVCA Top 25 national rankings.
"A national ranking would be a huge reward for this team that has worked so hard," Nagel said. "But we are still keeping things in perspective, taking it one step at a time."
At Miami, the Blue Devils held off a third-game rally by the Hurricanes (7-13, 4-7) to complete the sweep. Freshman outside hitter Rachael Moss led the Blue Devils with 15 kills.
"My goal is just to help the team as much as I can," Moss said. "A lot of people say, 'I want to be an All-American,' but it's just good to know I can make a difference and help us get to the next level."
Duke's next action takes place Friday, when they travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech.
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