Duke Falls To Notre Dame In Four Games

Saturday, September 16

Tempe, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Duke University

Notre Dame

Hunkus Sits Down WIth Inside Access For Video Q&A

Duke Falls To Notre Dame In Four Games

9/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball

By: Duke Sports Information

TEMPE, Ariz. ? The Duke volleyball team wrapped up its non-conference schedule with a 3-1 loss to Notre Dame (27-30, 30-19, 24-30, 25-30) on Saturday night at the Sun Devil Volleyball Classic at Wells Fargo Arena. The Blue Devils fall to 7-2 on the season while the Fighting Irish improve to 6-4.

In the opening game, the Blue Devils and the Irish traded the first 14 points before Notre Dame went on a 10-4 run to take a 17-11 lead. Duke then went on a 9-3 run to tie the game at 20-20 but the Irish would hold off the Blue Devil rally at the end of game one to win, 30-27.

Duke opened game two with an 11-7 run to take a four point lead. After Notre Dame tied the game at 11-11, the Blue Devils used a 10-2 run to go ahead 21-13. Duke then scored nine of the next 15 points to win game two, 30-19, tying the match at one game apiece.

The third game would see the Blue Devils and the Irish trade the first 22 points before Duke took a 12-11 lead. Notre Dame would then score 12 of the next 17 points for a 23-17 advantage. Duke cut the Irish lead to three points on three occasions down the stretch before Notre Dame pulled out a 30-24 win.

After Notre Dame and Duke traded the first 10 points in game four, the Irish used an 8-1 run to take a 13-6 lead. Notre Dame would extend their lead to 20-12 before Duke scored six straight points to cut the Irish lead to 20-18. The Blue Devils rallied to cut Notre Dame's lead to one point at 26-25 but the Irish scored four straight times to take game four, 30-25.

Junior Ali Hausfeld paced the Duke attack with a match-high 50 assists. Senior Tealle Hunkus, junior Carrie DeMange and freshman Rachael Moss each added a double-double for the Blue Devils. Hunkus posted a season and match-high 19 kills to go along with 10 digs, DeMange had 10 kills and 10 digs and Moss contributed 13 kills and a career-high 20 digs.

Sophomore Jourdan Norman added 10 kills for the Duke offense while sophomore Sue Carls had seven kills.

Junior Jenny Shull led the Blue Devil defense with a match-high 23 digs. DeMange and Norman added four blocks apiece in the loss.

Duke will open Atlantic Coast Conference play next weekend by hosting Clemson and Georgia Tech at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils posted a league-best 10-1 record in the second half of the ACC season last year to finish one win shy of a three-way tie for first place. Duke was picked to win the ACC crown by the league's head coaches for the second straight year prior to the start of the 2006 season and DeMange, Hausfeld and Shull were all named to the preseason All-ACC team.

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