DURHAM, N.C. (SMU) – No. 7 SMU volleyball earned its 17th win of the season in its 3-0 victory over Duke (5-18, 2-10 ACC) Sunday night in Cameron Indoor Stadium with set scores of 25-21. 25-17, 25-19. The Mustangs are now 17-5, 9-3 in ACC action.
 
Malaya Jones led an SMU attack which hit .374 as a unit with 11 kills on a .429 personal hitting percentage. Favor Anyanwu logged double-digit kills with 10 against the Blue Devils, followed by Kennedi Rogers, who finished with nine kills.
 
Averi Carlson sent out 34 assists while adding six digs in the sweep. As a unit, SMU held the Blue Devils to a .157 hitting efficiency.
 
MATCH NOTES: 

• Jones had double-digit kills for the 18th time this season and has done so in eight straight matches.
• It was the 11th match this season where SMU hit over .300 as a team, seventh in ACC play.
• With the win, SMU evened the overall series with Duke 2-2. The Mustangs have won two straight.
• Coach Sam Erger earned her 90th win as head coach at SMU.
• The win marks the eighth sweep for the Mustangs this season. 

 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The teams traded points to start Sunday's match until a three-point stretch by the Mustangs midway through the first gave them some separation. Kills from Averi Carlson and Kennedi Rogers put SMU up 9-6.
 
Up 15-9 entering the media timeout, SMU held that lead until a late run by Duke closed the gap to one at the 22-21 mark. The Mustangs were able to hold off the late rally by the Blue Devils to win the frame 25-21, ending with three straight points on a kill from Malaya Jones, an attack error by the Blue Devils and the second ace of the set for Christa Wilburn.
 
The Mustangs started stronger in the second frame, gathering a 10-5 lead. Another late push by Duke leveled the score at 14-14. SMU responded with seven straight points, four of the seven on kills from three different Mustangs to create enough separation to win the second comfortably 25-17. Jones led the Mustangs in kills with six as SMU hit its best clip of the match at .387 in the second set.
 
Madison Scheer led what was another dominant set for the Mustangs. Scheer led the way with six kills, the most she's had in a set this season. Jentry Lamirand and Favor Anyanwu followed, each putting down four balls in the final set of the match. SMU won the frame 25-19, hitting .359 with 16 team kills. Duke was held to a .135 hitting percentage in the final set, its lowest of the match.
 
SMU LEADERS:
SMU Kills Leader: Malaya Jones (11)
SMU Assist Leader: Averi Carlson (34)
SMU Digs Leader: Jordyn Schilling (8)
SMU Blocks Leader: Four with (2)
SMU Ace Leader: Christa Wilburn (2)
SMU Points Leader: Malaya Jones (12)
 
Up Next: SMU hosts Virginia on Friday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. CT in Dallas.