April 7, 1999

DURHAM, N.C. - The third-ranked Duke men's tennis team won its ninth consecutive match with a 7-0 shutout victory over ACC-rival N.C. State at Duke Tennis Stadium on Wednesday. With the win, Duke improves to 15-4, 4-0 on the season while the Wolfpack drop to 10-8, 1-3 in the league.

The Blue Devils swept the singles competition, winning four matches in straight sets. At No. 2 singles, No. 21 Doug Root defeated Eric Jackson, 6-3, 6-2. At No. 4 singles, Porter Jones defeated Jeff Smith, 6-3, 6-2 and Marko Cerenko topped Devang Desai by the same score at No. 6 singles. Andres Pedroso defeated Shaun Thomas, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 5 singles. One of the closest matches of the day came at No. 1 singles, where Dmitry Muzyka, ranked 58th nationally, came back to defeat 63rd-ranked and ACC defending champion Roberto Bracone, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. It also took three sets at No. 3 singles, where No. 47 Ramsey Smith topped Keith Salmon, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Duke clinched the doubles point with victories at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. The Blue Devil duo of Muzyka and Jordan Wile, ranked No. 24 nationally, defeated Devang Desai and Eric Jackson, 8-5. At No. 3 doubles, Root and Ted Rueger defeated Deval Desai and Keith Salmon, 8-4. N.C. States lone victory of the day came at No. 2 doubles, where Roberto Bracone and Shaun Thomas won 8-3 over Pedroso and Smith.

The Blue Devils received their highest ranking in school history, checking in at No. 3 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, released on Tuesday. Additionally, Duke has not lost an ACC match since the 1996 season, currently riding a 20-match win streak over conference opponents.

Duke faces two ACC opponents on the road this weekend, taking on Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Saturday and playing at Clemson on Sunday.

No. 7 Duke 7, No. 48 N.C. State 0
Duke Tennis Stadium * Durham, N.C.

Singles
1. #58 Dmitry Muzyka (D) def. #63 Roberto Bracone (N), 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. #21 Doug Root (D) def. Eric Jackson (N), 6-3, 6-2
3. #47 Ramsey Smtih (D) def. Keith Salmon (N), 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
4. Porter Jones (D) def. Jeff Smith (N), 6-3, 6-2
5. Andres Pedroso (D) def. Shaun Thomas (N), 6-3, 6-0
6. Marko Cerenko (D) def. Devang Desai (N), 6-3, 6-2

Doubles
1. #24 Muzyka/Wile (D) def. Desai/Jackson (N), 8-5
2. Bracone/Thomas (N) def. Pedroso/Smith (D), 8-3
3. Root/Rueger (D) def. Deval Desai/Salmon (N), 8-4

Records: Duke 15-4/4-0 ACC,  N.C. State 10-8/1-3 ACC