Upcoming Event: Volleyball versus Cleveland State on September 14, 2025 at 1 PM
/
1 PM
Volleyball
vs Cleveland State
.png&width=24&height=24&type=webp)
Thursday, October 14
Blacksburg, Va.
7:00 p.m.
Duke University
1
at
3
Virginia Tech
Duke Suffers First ACC Loss 3-1 at Virginia Tech
10/14/2010 8:59:00 PM | Volleyball
BLACKSBURG, Va. - Cara Baarendse and Felicia Willoughby both turned in errorless performances and combined for 33 kills to lead Virginia Tech to a 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 25-17) win over ACC leader Duke on Friday evening in Cassell Coliseum.
The Hokies (12-6, 3-5 ACC) posted a .322 hitting percentage and handed the Blue Devils their first ACC loss this season. Duke (15-3, 7-1 ACC) entered the match as the ACC's best defensive team, holding opponents to a conference-low .144 hitting percentage, but could not stop the duo of Baarendse and Willoughby.
Baarendse, the ACC leader in hitting percentage, posted a .424 clip while Willoughby, who ranked third in the conference in the category, hit .731 with 19 kills. Willoughby had at least four kills in every set as the Hokies connected on 60 kills and just 14 attack errors. Virginia Tech setter Erin Leaser dished out 49 assists while setting primarily to Baarendse, Willoughby and outside hitter Justine Record who knocked down 13 kills.
Led defensively by 6-2 freshman middle Victoria Hamsher, Virginia Tech used 15 blocks to hold Duke to a .209 hitting percentage. Seven of those stops came in the fourth set as the Hokies defeated Duke for only the second time in the history of the series. Hamsher posted seven blocks while Willoughby worked her way in on six stops and Record finished with five.
Virginia Tech also held the advantage in the serving game and dropped in six aces. Baarendse had two of those as the Hokies racked up the most aces against Duke in a four-set match this season.
Duke got double-digit kills from four players and 49 assists from setter Kellie Catanach, but hit just .124 over the final two frames. Despite 12 kills apiece from Sophia Dunworth and Becci Burling and a .410 hitting percentage in set two, the Blue Devils posted their lowest hitting clip since Sept. 11 against the No. 12 Minnesota Golden Gophers. Sophomore middle blocker Christiana Gray also turned in 11 kills on a .400 clip for Duke while fellow middle Amanda Robertson posted 10 kills.
Despite the loss, Duke still owns the top spot in the ACC standings. The Blue Devils lead North Carolina by a half game for first place and No. 22 Florida State by 1.5 games. With the race for the 2010 ACC title heating up, Duke will look to hold its ground on Saturday at 7 p.m. against Virginia.
-d-u-k-e-
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
S
/ Volleyball
MB/OH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballOut Here in Miami For Thanksgiving
Wednesday, December 04
Camera'd Up with Grace Thrower
Saturday, November 16
Big Lo on the Mic
Wednesday, November 13
Duke Athletics: A Tour of Campus
Saturday, October 19
