Duke Opens 2016 with Straight-Set Win over UNCG

Friday, August 26

Durham, N.C.

7:30 PM

Duke University

UNCG

Duke Opens 2016 with Straight-Set Win over UNCG

8/26/2016 10:22:00 PM | Volleyball

Cindy Marina Postgame Interview: Duke 3, UNCG 0 VB Highlights: Duke 3, UNCG 0 Whitaker Postgame Interview: Duke 3, UNCG 0 Jolene Nagel Postgame Interview: Duke 3, UNCG 0 Box Score (PDF)Box Score (HTML)

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke received key contributions from a number of Blue Devils in a decisive straight-set victory (3-0, 25-20, 25-19, 25-15)over UNCG Friday evening in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Underclassmen paced Duke (1-0) offensively as sophomore outside hitter Jessi Bartholomew put down a career-high 11 kills while freshman setter Cindy Marina turned in a double-double in her collegiate debut. Marina dished out 25 assists to go along with 11 digs as well as three kills and four blocks.

Five different Blue Devils contributed four or more kills, including Bartholomew. Junior Anna Kropf totaled eight on a team-best .421 hitting percentage, senior Jordan Tucker added six, and freshman Jamie Stivers and senior Alyse Whitaker added four each.

Whitaker boasted a match-high seven blocks, tying her career-high. The Blue Devils amassed 9.0 blocks as a team, holding UNCG (0-1) to a .096 hitting percentage for the match. Libero Sasha Karelov led all players with 16 digs, followed by freshmen Marina and Stivers with 11 apiece.

“We're pretty excited to play someone other than ourselves,” said head coach Jolene Nagel. “There definitely were a lot of nerves. At the same time, it was really great to see this team come off a great preseason really focus on some things we talked about going into the match tonight : our serve receive, our team defense and their communication. The team has worked hard to be supportive of one another and I think that was obvious out there tonight.”

After the Blue Devils and the Spartans split the season's opening 20 points, Duke mounted a 6-2 rally to take command of the first set. UNCG could come no closer than three the remainder of the stanza, which Duke ultimately won, 25-20, on a Spartan service error.

Duke once again utilized a run midway through the frame to pull away in the second set. Tied at nine-all, the Blue Devils captured nine of the next 13 points to stake an 18-14 advantage. Five different Blue Devils notched kills during that span. A Stivers' kill clinched the 2-0 advantage, giving Duke the second frame, 25-19.

The Blue Devils totaled three blocks over the third set's first nine point, putting the frame out of reach early. Up 7-2, Duke did not let UNCG within five points the rest of the way. Bartholomew put down five of her 11 kills in the final stanza to aid the Blue Devil cause.

Duke returns to action with a pair of matches Saturday, Aug. 27 in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils face Eastern Kentucky at 1 p.m., before challenging LSU at 7:30 p.m. The Tigers knocked of the Colonels, 3-0, in the opening match of the Duke Invitational Friday.

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