The Blue Devils had just come off one of their worst losses of the season. Now they found themselves down 17-9 in a crucial third set against an even stronger opponent. Instead of folding, though, Duke went on a 12-0 run and took the set behind the play of Christiana Gray and Sophia Dunworth.
The Blue Devils (18-8, 12-5 in the ACC) upset Florida State (24-5, 15-1) in a five-set 25-20, 14-25, 25-20 22-25, 15-7 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium. With the win, Duke put an end to the No. 17 Seminoles’ undefeated conference record.
Despite being swept by Miami last Thursday, the Blue Devils were able to recover and improve in one of the toughest matches of the season.
“I think we responded really well to the loss and figured things out and made something out of it,” Dunworth said. “I think we realized what an incredible opportunity we had to take a win off of a team that hasn’t lost in the ACC.”
After winning the first set 25-20, the Blue Devils were held to a mere .030 hitting percentage in the second set. Florida State carried that momentum deep into the third set before Duke responded with the 12-0 run that would carry them to victory.
“I don’t feel that we really performed on Thursday night,” Nagel said. “I think it motivated the team and I am really proud of them for having the courage to come out and compete against them like they did today because they could have easily backed down.”The Blue Devils had to continue to fight in order to keep hold of the victory. The fourth set was back-and-forth and despite tying it up at 20, Florida State eked out a 25-22 win.
The Blue Devils maintained their intensity and rebounded to secure a quick 15-7 win in the fifth and final set, ending the match.
The victory was truly a team effort as Dunworth, Gray, Chelsea Cook and freshman Jeme Obeime all reached double-digit kills, and Kellie Catanach setted 54 assists.
The win was an especially important one for the Blue Devils who are fighting for a spot in the NCAA tournament. And with a win against Florida State, they proved their ability to handle top competition.
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