The Blue Devils went down to Florida hoping to secure their first two ACC road wins.
They left with the victories, and more importantly, a new individual record-holder.
During the second game against Miami (8-6. 2-3 in the ACC) Sunday, senior Ali Hausfeld set her 5,083rd assist, surpassing the previous all-time Duke record held by Kristen Campbell. Hausfeld notched 47 total assists over the weekend, putting her career total at 5,101.
"I would have loved to have broken the record in Cameron," Hausfeld said. "But doing it today was great. With everyone playing so well, it was definitely symbolic of my career here."
The Blue Devils handily defeated the Hurricanes Sunday, winning 30-25, 30-19, 30-19 for the 3-0 sweep. The win capped off a strong weekend for Duke, which also earned a victory over Florida State Friday night, 30-24, 30-18 and 30-26.
Team play was key for the Blue Devils over the weekend. With the setter serving as the anchor for the offense, Duke (10-3. 5-0) had plenty of opportunities to exploit the Hurricanes' defense. The team definitely took advantage of Miami's defense, as four Duke players registered double-digit kills. Senior Carrie DeMange and sophomore Rachael Moss tallied 17 kills while Sue Carls and Jourdan Norman each recorded 10.
The Blue Devils never faulted throughout the three-game match, though Duke fought off a strong Hurricanes' comeback in Game One. After falling behind early 20-12, the Hurricanes bounced back to come within two. The Blue Devils' offense eventually proved to be too much for Miami to handle, however, with a 5-2 run to end the game.
"During Game One, opponents always try to learn what they can do against you," head coach Jolene Nagel said. "They were just trying to stop our strengths. When they come out of the gate so strong, especially at home, you just have to match their energy."
With a large crowd attending the match Friday against the Seminoles, Duke got their first taste of a hostile ACC environment this season. Despite the loud FSU fans cheering against the Blue Devils, the team treated the match as business as usual, using its suffocating defense to control the match.
After focusing on its blocking in the days preceding the road trip, Duke's practice seemed to pay off, as the team outblocked FSU 10-5.
The Blue Devils also saw improvement in terms of serving, recording only 10 total errors in the two matches.
Duke continues its five-game road trip Thursday when it takes on in-state foe N.C. State. Before they get ahead of themselves and start focusing on the next match, Nagel and her team want to make sure they are well-rested despite all their traveling.
"It's going to be a long stretch away from home," Nagel said. "But looking at our performances, it's very gratifying, especially with it being a busy time both academically and within our season. But, now, the team can catch their breath and prepare for next weekend."
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