Dukes Close Weekend with Third Straight Sweep

Saturday, September 4

Buies Creek, N.C.

2 p.m.

James Madison University

5-1,0-0CAA

North Carolina Central

2-2,0-0MEAC

N.C. Central

James Madison

9/4/2021 4:56:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - James Madison picked up its third straight sweep on Saturday afternoon, as the Dukes capped their weekend with a 3-0 victory over North Carolina Central in non-conference volleyball action at Gilbert Craig Gore Arena.

The Dukes, who improved to 5-1 with their blemish-free weekend, again used a balanced attack and team defense to pick up the win. As a team, JMU hit .262 with only junior Sophia Davis needing double-digit kills (11) to seal the victory.

Davis hit .364 and racked up seven blocks on the match, while freshman Annie Smith added seven kills on an error-free nine swings to go with three blocks in a ruthlessly efficient performance.

Junior setter Caroline Dozier paced the offense with 34 sets on the afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
SET ONE
The opening frame was back and forth from the start, as the two teams stayed within a point of each other until Davis and Dozier teamed up for back-to-back blocks that gave the Dukes a 12-10 lead. After a kill from NCCU, the Dukes used a 6-2 run to take the advantage for good and eventually closed out the set at 25-19.

SET TWO
NCCU jumped on top in the second, taking seven of the first nine points, but JMU climbed back, using separate runs of 5-1 and 8-2 to go back on top, taking four of the last five points to seal the set at 25-21 and go up, 2-0.

SET THREE
The Dukes again fell behind 6-3 in the decisive set, but were able to turn things around while trailing 18-16 and close the frame on a 9-1 run to seal the sweep at 25-19 and close out their nine-set weekend.

AWARD WINNERS
As the Dukes cruised to three straight sweeps over the weekend, three JMU players were named to the All-Tournament team on the road. Sophomore Miëtte Veldman and junior Caroline Dozier were each named to the team, while junior Sophia Davis was named Tournament MVP.

UP NEXT
The Dukes will be back in action later this week, traveling to Richmond, Va. for a matchup at VCU on Thursday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. The Rams picked up a 3-0 victory over JMU in Harrisonburg earlier this season.