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No. 22 Duke Prepares For NCAA Tournament
11/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball, Athletics
DURHAM, N.C. ? The 22nd-ranked Duke volleyball team will make its 13th NCAA postseason appearance this weekend as the Blue Devils host the first two rounds of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament at Cameron Indoor Stadium, beginning with a 7 p.m. matchup against Patriot League champion American on Friday, Nov. 30.
The Blue Devils (24-6, 19-3 ACC) finished the regular season on a four-match winning streak in which they lost just one game and clinched the second-place spot in the final ACC standings. Duke has earned an NCAA Tournament berth for the third consecutive season and will look to build off of back-to-back opening round wins in 2005 and 2006. After earning a win in their first NCAA Tournament in 1984, the Blue Devils have put together an overall tournament record of 7-12 and a 5-6 mark in first round action. Head coach Jolene Nagel has guided the Blue Devils to six postseason appearances in her nine-year tenure and an overall record of 3-5 in the tournament.
Duke has ridden an explosive offense that ranks third in the country in both assists and kills per game, thanks largely to the senior duo of setter Ali Hausfeld and 2007 ACC Player of the Year Carrie DeMange. DeMange, a 6-2 middle blocker, picked up the prestigious conference honor this week after leading the ACC in kills per game (5.07) and points per game (5.75) while breaking Duke's single-season and all-time kills records. Also a first team All-ACC selection for the third straight season, DeMange was an asset on the defensive side of the ball for the Blue Devils, averaging 3.38 digs per game and 0.83 blocks per game. She held the team lead with 21 double-doubles, including a string of 15 straight, and concluded the regular season with a .292 hitting percentage to match the career-high clip she put together as a junior.
Hausfeld, who also claimed first team All-ACC honors for the third year, finished third in the nation in assists per game (14.23) and matched DeMange by breaking the school's single-season and career assists records. A four-year starter as the team's setter, Hausfeld has developed an all-around solid game in her final year. The Springboro, Ohio, native topped 100 kills for the fourth straight season while averaging 2.31 digs and 0.68 blocks per game. A two-time Academic All-America selection, Hausfeld has evenly distributed the ball this season to lead the Blue Devils to the 24th-best hitting percentage in the country at .266.
Also benefiting from the production of DeMange and Hausfeld are outside hitter Rachael Moss and Sue Carls and middle blocker Jourdan Norman. Moss, who picked up second team All-ACC recognition this season, hammered 452 kills to finish fourth in the conference in the category and among the top-10 in service aces and points per game. A 5-11 outside hitter, Moss put together 20 double-doubles on the season, including two outings with 20 kills and digs.
Carls was one of just eight players in the ACC to finish with a hitting percentage over .300, compiling the second-best clip on the team at .319. The 6-1 outside hitter proved to be a consistent performer the entire season, posting at least nine kills in all but five matches, including 12 double-digit performances. Also a success in the classroom, Carls claimed second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III honors.
Junior middle blocker Jourdan Norman proved to be Duke's most efficient attacker and brings an even .400 hitting percentage with a 2.58 kill per game average into the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Norman finished third on the final ACC hitting percentage list and was one just 15 players in the entire country to conclude the regular season with a hitting percentage of at least .400. Even more impressive than her skills as an attacker are Norman's blocking abilities at the net. With a team-leading 1.35 blocks per game average, Norman topped 130 kills for the third straight season and moved to fourth on Duke's all-time list. She also owns the first and fourth-highest single-season block total in school history after setting Duke's season record as a freshman.
Also making significant contributions on the defensive end is senior libero Jenny Shull. At 5-5, Shull is one of the most talented and experienced defensive players in the ACC and has been a tremendous cog in a Blue Devil defense that limited opposing teams to a .185 hitting percentage. With 610 digs in 2007, Shull topped 600 digs for the third straight season on the way to becoming the school's all-time leader in the category. Just 45 digs shy of the ACC's career record, the Downey, Calif., native has emerged as a spark plug for the Blue Devils all season and will look to continue her record-setting pace well in to the NCAA Tournament.
With a win, Duke will take on the winner of No. 7 Cal and Big South champion Liberty in the second round of the tournament, which will be held at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 1.
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