Volleyball: Hoos get back in win column, sweep Blue Devils

By Colin Moore
JerryRatcliffe.com correspondent

Coming off a road loss at Georgia Tech on Sunday, Virginia had an outstanding bounce-back match, winning all three sets (25-20, 25-18, 25-18) on Friday Night against Duke at Memorial Gymnasium. The Cavaliers led in all categories allowing them to pull out the decisive win.

The Hoos were led by Kate Dean, Elayna Duprey, Lauryn Bowie and Brooklyn Borum, as they racked up 37 out of 46 kills in the match. On the defensive end, they were led by Borum (13 digs), Milan Gomillion (12 digs), and Kate Johnson (10 digs).

HOW IT HAPPENED

Set 1: UVA 25, Duke 20
This set was back and forth throughout, as both teams traded taking the lead numerous times. The Hoos (15-3, 5-2 ACC) had some timely hits to keep the game close before Zoey Dood had 6 amazing consecutive serves to gain a marginal lead for the Hoos, including one ace.

Dood was able to generate numerous missed passes by the Blue Devils. Duke (7-11, 3-4) was able to make the set interesting, getting back within 3 before forcing a UVA timeout and then a closing kill by Borum to take the set, 25-20.

Set 2: UVA 25, Duke 18
Duke came out on the front foot in this set, forcing the Hoos to battle. The Blue Devils were able to show great teamwork, allowing them to come from behind to back to tie the set 10-10 about midway in.

The set continued to stay close before the Cavaliers managed to go up 8, 23-15. More timely plays by Bowie, Dean and Abby Tadder allowed the Hoos to take control. The Cavaliers closed the second set on their second set point with a monster kill by Tadder, her third in the match. Great serves and digs by both Kate Johnson and Millan Gomilion allowed the Hoos to continue to gain momentum.

Set 3: UVA 25, Duke 18
The Hoos had a great start to this set as they were able to gain an early lead and keep it. They managed to double the Blue Devils with a score of 16-8. Gomillion and Johnson had great serves and digs all match, but had key plays in this third set to push the Hoos to victory. Duprey had an outstanding hitting match (10 kills, .333 hitting percentage) and she wrapped up the evening with a powerful kill from setter Ashley Le.

ADDITIONAL NOTES
Courtesy UVA Media Relations

• UVA’s 46 kills against the Blue Devils are the most in a sweep over an ACC opponent since recording 46 at home against Virginia Tech in 2022.

WITH THE WIN

• Virginia is 15-3 (or better) for the first time since 2003, when it won its first 16 matches of the season.
• UVA is off to a 5-2 start in ACC play, its best since 2006
• Virginia is riding a seven-match home win streak, which is the longest for UVA since 1999.
• The Cavaliers have won three straight home matches against ACC opponents for the first time since 2015.
• Virginia has swept three straight ACC opponents at home for the first time since 1999.
• The Hoos have swept three straight home matches for the first time since 2019.
• Virginia snapped a 12-match losing streak to Duke and improved to 15-60 in the all-time series, which began in 1982.
• The Cavaliers swept Duke for the first time since 2004.
• Virginia picked up its fifth ACC win on Friday, the most since 2019.

UP NEXT

The Cavaliers face the Tar Heels in Memorial Gymnasium on Sunday at 1 p.m. It’ll be their last home match until Nov. 1.