Duke Sweeps Clemson, 3-0

Sunday, October 12

Clemson, S.C.

1 PM

Duke University

5-12,2-4ACC

Clemson

12-6,0-6ACC

Duke

Clemson

Photo by: Nat LeDonne / Duke Athletics

10/12/2025 3:27:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Duke volleyball team earned its first straight-set win of the season, 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-22), over Clemson Sunday inside Jervey Gym in Clemson, South Carolina. Duke improves to 5-12 overall and 2-4 in ACC play while the Tigers fall to 12-6 and 0-6 in conference action.

Sophomore Taylor Williams posted a double-double, leading the Blue Devil offense with 11 kills to go along with 10 digs. Redshirt senior Ngozi Iloh added 10 kills to bolster the attack. Defensively, sophomore Mailinh Godschall anchored the back row with 19 digs, while Iloh led the work at the net with six blocks.

How It Happened

Set One – Duke 25, Clemson 23

Duke earned the first set with a 25-23 win in the opening frame. The Blue Devils broke a 3-3 tie by claiming seven of the next 10 points to establish a 10-6 lead. Duke maintained control with a 9-3 run to extend its advantage to 19-10. Clemson responded with an 11-2 spurt to even the score at 21-21, but Duke closed out the set by holding the Tigers to just two more points while tallying the final four. The Blue Devils sealed the frame behind two Clemson attack errors and a pair of kills from freshman Ashby Zubchevich.

Set Two – Duke 25, Clemson 19

The Blue Devils claimed set two and took a 2-0 match lead with a 25-19 triumph. Duke opened strong, winning six of the first seven points to build an early advantage before Clemson answered with a 6-2 run to pull within one, 8-7. The Blue Devils responded by taking five of the next seven points to extend their lead to 13-9. The Tigers once again closed the gap, earning six points while holding Duke to four to make it 17-15. Duke then notched four points while limiting Clemson to one for a 21-16 edge. Backed by a pair of kills from Iloh, a putaway from Williams and a Clemson attack error, the Blue Devils secured four of the final seven points to close out the frame, 25-19.

Set Three – Duke 25, Clemson 22

Duke sealed the straight-set win with a 25-22 victory in the third set. Clemson came out strong, hitting at a .288 clip and building a 12-7 advantage. The Blue Devils halted the Tigers' momentum with a six-point run, highlighted by two kills from Iloh and back-to-back aces from Williams to take the lead, 13-12. The frame remained tight, featuring seven more ties, the last coming at 21-21. Duke then pulled ahead with three straight points before a service error. Iloh sealed the match with a kill to close out the 25-22 win.

Notes

Duke improves to 5-12 overall and 2-4 in ACC play, while Clemson drops to 12-6 and 0-6 in conference action.
Head coach Jolene Nagel earned her 717th career victory and 514th at Duke.
The Blue Devils extended their all-time series lead over the Tigers to 47-24.
Duke snapped a four-match losing streak.
The Blue Devils held a 41-39 edge in kills, hitting at a .205 clip while limiting Clemson to a .135 attack percentage.
Williams recorded her third double-double of the season.
Iloh matched her career high with two solo blocks.
Redshirt junior Millie Muir served a career-best two aces and added a career-high 10 digs.
Freshman Zoë Gillen-Malveaux surpassed 100 career kills.
Godschall earned 750 career digs with her 19 on Sunday.

Up Next

Duke remains on the road, traveling to Syracuse Oct. 17 for a 6 p.m., matchup. The Blue Devils close the weekend at Boston College Oct. 19, at 1 p.m. Both matches will stream on ACC Network Extra.

For more information on Duke volleyball, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by searching for "DukeVB".

#GoDuke