Elon, N.C. – Playing at home for the first time in 2022, the Elon volleyball team fed off the energy of a lively crowd to battle in-state rival Duke Tuesday evening. The two teams split the opening two sets, but the Blue Devils eventually outlasted a spirited Elon squad 25-16, 24-26, 25-20, 25-21.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Elon jumped out to an early lead in the opening set, building a 12-8 advantage midway through the frame. Still leading 13-10, the Phoenix committed a service error that led into a string of 13 consecutive service points by Gracie Johnson that included three service aces. Duke cruised from there to the 25-16 win.
• Early in the second set, Duke controlled the momentum from the opening set victory, building a 14-10 lead. Elon, though, answered with five straight points, capped by a Sydney Love kill, to move ahead. Duke pushed back ahead with a 7-3 run that gave the Blue Devils a 21-18 edge, but the Phoenix tied the score at 22 and then again at 23 on a pair of Leah Daniel kills. With the score tied at 24, Daniel added a third kill and then Haylie Clark finished the set with a service ace.
• Elon led 12-11 in the third set before Duke used a five-point burst to take the lead for good. The Phoenix closed to within one point at 18-17 and again at 21-20, but the Blue Devils scored the final four points of the stanza.
• Duke tried to put the match away quickly in the fourth, building an 11-5 lead. But the maroon and gold scored six of the next seven. The Phoenix, though, could never get over the hump to take the lead and Duke closed out the match 25-21.

 
STATS AND NOTES

• Leah Daniel had a match-high 14 kills.
• Haylie Clark finished with 25 assists, 13 digs, four aces and three blocks.
• Caroline Doyle had a career-high 21 digs to lead the Phoenix, and Lily Emlong added four blocks.
• Duke hit .210 as a team, while Elon hit .101.
• Elon had eight service aces and 9.0 blocks.
• The second-set victory was the first time Elon has taken a set from Duke since 1974, a stretch of time that includes five head-to-head meetings. Elon, though, still leads the all-time series with the Blue Devils 8-6.

 
FROM HEAD COACH MARY TENDLER
"We loved the energy that the band, cheerleaders and our fans brought tonight. They were awesome! We gave everything we had, it just wasn't enough. Duke had some really good servers who gave us trouble. We need to execute better and side-out more quickly to give ourselves a better shot at winning. We had many players step up in different roles for us tonight. It was good to see them take advantage of the opportunity."
 
UP NEXT

• Elon hosts four matches of the Aggie/Phoenix Volley For Unity Tournament Friday and Saturday.
• Neutral site matches take place at 2 p.m. each day (Florida A&M vs. UNC Greensboro on Friday and UNC Greensboro vs. North Carolina Central on Saturday).
• Elon will host Florida A&M Friday at 7 p.m. and UNC Greensboro Saturday at 7 p.m.