With the ACC volleyball season moving along quickly, NC State volleyball is looking to close out its 2023 schedule with a few wins. The Pack took on Duke in a rivalry showdown on Friday, Oct. 27 and fell in a grueling 2-3 loss.
The Wolfpack (16-6, 6-5 ACC) has historically had a hard time defeating the Blue Devils (15-8, 6-6 ACC), especially on the road. In the over 20-year history between these two teams, the Pack has never defeated Duke in Durham.
Junior opposite hitter Amanda Rice hit a new career-high 27 kills against the Blue Devils, further cementing her legacy with the team.
Rice got the game going for the red-and-white in the first set with back-to-back kills to start off the match. Momentum was traded back and forth between the two teams in the first set, but eventually Duke came out on top, defeating NC State 25-18.
The second set was more favorable for the Pack, with a 5-0 scoring run helping to seal the deal at the end of the set. Sophomore outside hitter Ava Brizard notched three aces in the second set alone, providing some consistency that enabled the Wolfpack to grab the set victory. NC State took the second set 25-20, but the win didn’t come easy — there were 10 scoring ties and three lead changes in the set alone.
Sets three and four were split between the two teams, with Duke taking the third and NC State taking the fourth. Rice and Brizard stayed consistent in the front row alongside the blocking talents of senior middle blocker Riley Shaak.
The fifth and final set is always stressful for any player, and the Pack held its own through the beginning of the set. There were nine scoring ties between the rivals in this set with both sides of the net getting kills down on the court. Junior middle blocker Jada Allen put down a service ace for the Pack, but it wasn’t enough to get the momentum going. The red-and-white lost the set 15-13 and the match 2-3.
The Wolfpack can’t afford to dwell on this loss for long — the team is set to take on another ACC and in-state rival in UNC-Chapel Hill on Sunday, Oct. 29. First serve is set for 4 p.m.
