No. 2 Cardinals Beat Duke 3-1 to Remain Unbeaten

Sunday, October 31

Durham, NC

1:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

21-0,11-0ACC

Duke

13-10,4-8ACC

Louisville

Duke

Photo by: Reagan Lunn

October 31, 2021 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Louisville is 21-0 and 11-0 in the ACC

By: Nancy Worley

DURHAM, N.C. -- Middle blocker Anna Stevenson had 13 kills, hit .480 with an ace and two blocks to lead the No. 2-ranked University of Louisville to a 3-1 win at Duke. The Cardinals remain unbeaten at 21-0 to set the school mark for best start set in 2005.

With the 25-15, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16 win, the Cardinals move to 11-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Cardinals hit .281 with six aces, 65 digs and six blocks. UofL had four players with double digit kills with Claire Chaussee notching 14 kills and an ace, Anna DeBeer registered 13 kills with 14 digs and an ace and a block. Aiko Jones had 12 kills, an ace and three blocks. Tori Dilfer had 46 assists, two aces and a block.

Duke, one of just three ACC teams to take a set from the Cardinals, hit .212 with three aces and nine blocks. The Blue Devils were paced by Lizzie Fleming's 10 kills and four blocks. Gracie Johnson had eight kills, two aces and a block. Duke moves to 13-10 and 4-8 in the ACC.

The Cardinals stay on the road next weekend when they make a swing through North Carolina to face the Wolfpack of NC State on Friday Nov. 5 and the Tar Heels of North Carolina on Sunday Nov. 7.

Set 1
The Cardinals jumped out to a six point lead at 9-3 on a kill by Tori Dilfer and then later used a 5-0 run behind Dilfer's serving to go up 18-9. Louisville withstood a four point rally by Duke before a kill by Anna DeBeer gave UofL the 25-15 win.

Set 2
Duke took the lead early in the second before the Cards took their first lead at 8-7 on a block by Amaya Tillman. The Blue Devils tied at 16 but were unable to retake the lead . UofL got to set point at 24-20 on an ace by Aiko Jones but DU's Gracie Johnson got a kill to stave off set point. Anna DeBeer put an end to the Duke comeback with a set-winning kill on a set from Dilfer. In the end it was the Cardinals used .469 hitting in the set that held off the Duke rally.

Set 3
Duke increased its hitting percentage to .333 in the third set that featured eight ties but just two lead changes. The Blue Devils scored the first four points of the third stanza to set the tone. Louisville answered taking its first lead at 11-10 on an ace by Ayden Bartlett. Duke retook the lead on the next play on a block by Camille Nazor. The Cards stayed close and tied at 17 but were never able to regain the lead as Duke won the set 25-23 on a Louisville attack error.

Set 4
Louisville had a five point lead in the fourth at 13-8 on a kill by Stevenson. Duke could never gain traction as .095 hitting did the Blue Devils no favors partially due to five Cardinal blocks. UofL won the set 25-16 on a block by Anna DeBeer and Anna Stevenson.