Tigers Defeat Duke, 3-1, In Saturday Volleyball Action

Oct. 11, 2008

CLEMSON, SC – Danielle Hepburn recorded a team-high 18 kills and posted six total blocks to lead the Tiger volleyball team to a 3-1 (16-25, 25-18, 25-15, 25-19) win over ACC foe Duke on Saturday at Jervey Gym. Hepburn was one of three Clemson players with at least 10 kills in the match as setter Kelsey Murphy guided the offense to a .357 hitting clip.

The Tiger defense was stellar for a second straight night as well, holding the Blue Devils to a .195 hitting percentage. Duke entered the weekend hitting .261 as a team and allowing its opponents just 1.86 blocks per set. Clemson recorded 10 team blocks on Saturday night for a 2.50 per set average, led by Hepburn’s six. The Tiger senior is now within just 10 blocks of the school record.

Clemson improved to 13-5 on the year and 5-2 in conference action with the win, while the Blue Devils dropped to 13-6 overall and 4-3 against ACC opponents.

Jeannette Abbott recorded her highest hitting percentage of the season with a .433 figure on 15 kills in 30 attempts, while Lia Proctor posted her sixth double-double of the year with 14 kills and 10 digs.

The Blue Devils committed just two errors in the first set, opening strong offensively with a .567 hitting percentage for a 25-16 set victory. The Tiger offense equaled Duke with 30 kill attempts and hit at .300, but Clemson converted on six less chances with four errors for the difference.

The Tiger defense then took control, recording four blocks in set two to force a meager .081 hitting figure for the Blue Devils. The score was close in the beginning as Clemson led by just one point at 12-11. Seniors Abbott and Hepburn then combined for three kills as the Tigers used a five-point run to distance themselves from Duke. The Blue Devils rallied to cut the deficit to three at 21-18, but a Proctor kill returned the serve to the Tigers. Hepburn then had a block for point 23 and an ace by Didem Ege scored #24. Hepburn teamed with Cansu Ozdemir to seal the 25-18 win and tie the match at one win apiece.

Duke then managed just eight kills in the third set as Clemson tallied 18 defensive saves in forcing their opponent to hit negatively in the frame. The Tigers held the edge early in the set to quickly pulling ahead, 14-7. Murphy had success setting up her outside hitters as Abbott and Proctor each had four kills in the set. Back-to-back Proctor kills put Clemson on top by 10 and Abbott put down a ball to score the team’s 25th point.

Set four was an offensive display for both teams, with the Blue Devils back on the positive side at .241 with 13 kills and the Tigers posting a .419 figure with 16 kills. The score remained tight through the first part of the set as Duke fought to force a fifth set. However, five straight points by Clemson put it ahead, 15-10, and the Tigers held the lead the rest of the way.

With four straight road matches, the Tigers will not return to Jervey Gym until Oct. 31 when they take on Virginia in their Dig for the Cure designated match. Clemson will travel to Boston College and Maryland next weekend for dates with a pair of conference foes.