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Hokies Defeat Duke 3-2
Tech overcomes two-game deficit for comeback win
October 9, 2005

Box Score Virginia Tech 3, Duke 2
 
Blacksburg, Va. - The Virginia Tech volleyball team came back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Duke Blue Devils 3-2 on Sunday afternoon in Cassell Coliseum.

Tech won with scores of 27-30, 30-25, 19-30, 30-24 and 15-12.

With Duke (10-5, 4-3 ACC) leading the match 2-1 after the first three games, Tech (9-7, 4-3 ACC) came back from four points down in game four to tie the series 2-2. The Blue Devils jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the fourth game, before the Hokies came back to tie the game at 10. Junior Allie Kupec (Columbia, Md.) had two kills as part of the comeback run.

Tech then took advantage of three Duke attack errors, plus a block by senior Melissa Markowski (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) and junior Katie Esbrook (Lake In The Hills, Ill.), and a kill from senior Erin Brugger (Clifton, Va.) to take a 15-10 lead which they would not relinquish, to win game four 30-24.

In game five, Tech pulled out to an early three-point lead, 5-2 off two kills by Esbrook, a kill from Markowski and a service ace from Brugger. Duke then went on a 9-4 run that gave the Blue Devils a two-point advantage, 11-9. Carrie DeMange had two kills during the run to give Duke the lead.

The Hokies went on a 6-1 run to dominate the remainder of the contest, winning with a 15-12 score. Esbrook had three kills, while Brugger and freshman Sarah Muņoz (Encinitas, Calif.) each had a kill in the final drive.

Three players for Tech had double-doubles. Markowski with a team-high 62 assists with 11 digs, Munoz had 21 kills and 19 digs, while Brugger totaled 12 kills and 11 digs.

Sophomore Amanda Cloyd (Muncie, Ind.) led Tech with 25 digs, while Esbrook had a team-high 22 kills and .583 hitting percentage.

The two teams were evenly matched throughout the contest. Tech held a slim 10-8 advantage in blocks, an 83-73 advantage in digs, and a .017 advantage in hitting percentage, but attack and service errors hurt the Blue Devils over the course of the match.

For Duke, DeMange had 22 kills and 14 digs. Jenny Schull totaled 20 digs, while Ali Hausfeld led the Blue Devils with 64 assists. Samantha Fisher had 17 kills.

Tech remains undefeated in five-game matches, going to 3-0 on the year.

The Hokies next travel to the sunshine state for a weekend series with Florida State on Friday, Oct. 14, and Miami on Sunday, Oct. 16.