Virginia Tech Falls to No. 14 Duke in Four Sets to Split Weekend Series

Duncan Weigand

October 26, 2020

DURHAM, N.C. — Virginia Tech matched up against No. 14 Duke Sunday afternoon, one day after upsetting the Blue Devils in five sets. On Sunday, however, Duke dominated from the get-go, beating the Hokies in four sets.

Tech jumped out early in the first set 2-0 with kills by middle blocker/right side hitter Marisa Cerchio and outside hitter Ashley Homan, who led the team with 13 kills. The remainder of the set was a back and forth battle between the two teams.

The Blue Devils, though, eventually pulled away in the late stages, setting them up to take the first set 25-21. The set ended with a kill from the Duke’s defensive specialist Mackenzie Cole.

Cerchio recorded her sixth straight match with double-digit kills with 13, while adding four blocks and three digs to the Hokies’ stat sheet.

The second set started out as similar as the first set did with the Hokies jumping out to an early lead. Duke, however, stormed back to tie the game at 12 apiece after a kill from middle blocker/outside hitter Ade Owokoniran, who registered a game-high 18 kills.

The lead continued to switch hands for the rest of the set and the teams eventually tied 24-24 in the late stage of the set. Outside hitter Kaity Smith’s attack error followed by Duke middle blocker Lizzie Flemming’s kill gave the Blue Devils a 2-0 series lead. Duke edged out the Hokies 26-24 in one of the most entertaining sets of the match.

The Hokies jumping out to early leads was a theme on Sunday, as Tech jumped out to a 5-1 lead to start set three. Unlike the first two sets, VT never gave up the lead it had. The Hokies avoided a late comeback surge from the Blue Devils to win the set.

Tech’s middle blocker Kai Young recorded a kill and an attack error by Owokoniran would seal the Blue Devils’ fate. The Hokies took the third set 25-23 to cut the series lead to 2-1.

With its backs against the wall during the fourth set on Sunday afternoon, Virginia Tech was unable to deliver. The Hokies went down 13-9 early in the set.

It was the closest Virginia Tech would get to evening up the score as the Blue Devils took the fourth and final set in a commanding fashion. Tech fell 25-17 and Duke won the match, splitting the weekend series.

With the loss, Virginia Tech falls to 5-2 on the season, 4-2 in conference play. Tech will have a few days of rest before facing NC State on Thursday and Friday in Raleigh.

The Blue Devils (5-2 overall, 5-2 ACC) will face off against Virginia in another home matchup at Cameron Indoor on Friday.