DURHAM, N.C. – Clemson challenged Duke throughout a tightly contested match, taking the Blue Devils to the wire in all three sets before the match ended in favor of the home side with 25-21, 25-21, and 28-26 set scores.
The Tigers overcame an early 8-5 deficit in the opening set and used a 4-0 run to take a 19-18 lead in the first set. Kennedy Wagner and Alyssa Irwin delivered key kills, while Brianna Washington added two service aces. Irwin would go on to be the lone Tiger in double digits with 10 kills on the night. Clemson continued to challenge late in the second set, but ultimately fell 25-21.
Clemson rallied again in the second set, pulling even at 20-20 after taking advantage of consecutive Duke attack errors. The Blue Devils late run though helped them win the second set by a 25-21 scoreline, mirroring the first set.
The third set featured Clemson’s strongest push. Washington’s kill, assisted by Audrey Armbruster, gave the Tigers set point at 25-24. Clemson and Duke traded points through 26-26 before Duke finished with the final two points. The Tigers’ resilience pushed the third set beyond regulation and kept Clemson within reach through the closing moments. In the end, though, the Tigers fell 3-0 on Sunday afternoon.
With the 3-0 loss the Tigers are now 6-10 on the season and 0-4 in conference play.
Tiger Leaders
- Points: Alyssa Irwin – 11.0
- Kills: Alyssa Irwin – 10
- Digs: Addi Rains, Anika Groom – 9
- Assists: Katherine Sandt – 14
- Blocks: 3 players – 2
Up Next: The Tigers will head to the Sunshine State for a pair of games at Miami and Florida State, with the first against Miami on Oct. 9 at 7 pm. The team’s next home match will be alumni night in Jervey Gym against Boston College on Oct. 16. For the most up to date schedule information, go to clemsontigers.com.