Duke Escapes Virginia with Road ACC Win

Saturday, September 24

Charlottesville, Va.

7:00 PM

Duke University

Virginia

Meyer Earns Second ACC Freshman of the Week Honor

Duke Escapes Virginia with Road ACC Win

9/24/2016 10:31:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score (PDF)

By: Duke Sports Information

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Duke totaled a season-high 18 blocks en route to its third five-set win of the season, escaping Virginia with a 3-2 (22-25, 32-30, 25-22, 24-26, 15-7) decision Saturday evening in Memorial Gymnasium.

Sophomore middle blocker Leah Meyer collected the first double-double of her career, amassing 12 kills and 11 blocks to pace the Blue Devils. Freshman setter Cindy Marina also had a double-double, her team-leading seventh, adding 49 assists and 22 digs in the winning effort.

Meyer was one of four Blue Devils in double-digit kills. Sophomore outside hitter Jessi Bartholomew totaled a team-high 15, while freshman rightside hitter Samantha Amos contributed a career-high 13. Senior middle blocker Jordan Tucker rounded out the Duke contingent with 11 kills to go along with seven blocks and four digs.

“This was a really big win on the road for us,” said head coach Jolene Nagel. “[I'm] really proud of the way we hung tough and we kept together. We gave each other strength out there. [At] different times different people came up big. We grew a lot as a team tonight.”

A 5-0 Virginia run early in the first proved to be the difference in a 25-22 Cavalier victory. After the two squads split the match's opening 10 points, UVA rattled off five straight to go ahead, 10-5. Duke pulled within a point on three occasions but Virginia had the answer each time. Up 22-21, UVA finished the frame on a 3-1 run.

Duke outlasted Virginia in a marathon second set, 32-30. The Cavaliers fought off a pair of set points after a Bartholomew kill put Duke on top, 24-22. The two teams proceeded to trade points down the stretch before landing on a 30-30 stalemate. Amos came up with the kill to give Duke its fifth set point of the frame and Bartholomew finished it off with an ace off the top of the tape.

The Blue Devils opened the third with seven straight points and held off Virginia down the stretch, 25-22. Amos put down three kills in the early going to give Duke a commanding advantage. The Cavaliers chipped away, coming within one at 23-22 before the Blue Devils turned to Tucker for back-to-back kills to finish the set.

Much like the second, the fourth set came down to the wire before Virginia notched consecutive kills to win, 26-24. Duke trailed by as many as five before clawing its way back to tie the frame at 24-all on Bartholomew's kill. Virginia then countered with kills from Alex Thorson and Haley Kole to force and fifth frame.

Duke took charge early in the fifth, storming out to a 7-2 lead. Six UVA miscues aided the Blue Devils, who did not let the Cavaliers within four points the remainder of the set. Bartholomew established match point on her 15th kill before Meyer and Amos teamed up for the game-clinching block. The final block assist was one of a career-high seven for Amos.

“We're doing a lot better with our blocking,” Nagel said. “That's exciting. We're doing better job setting up our block, timing and getting over the net. We're really working hard at it and making it a priority and it's coming out in our play.”

Libero Sasha Karelov anchored the backline with 25 digs in addition to three service aces on the night.

UVA's Haley Kole led all players with 25 kills, followed by Alex Thorson's 15.

Duke hits the road again this coming weekend. The Blue Devils travel Notre Dame Sept. 30 and Louisville Oct. 2.

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