March 20, 2008

Ninth-Ranked Blue Devils Dominate N.C. State, 7-0

DURHAM, N.C. - The ninth-ranked Duke women's tennis team picked up its fifth straight victory on Wednesday evening, as the Blue Devils defeated 45th-ranked N.C. State, 7-0, at Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center in Durham, N.C.

Duke won the doubles point for the fifth consecutive match on the strength of victories at flights one and three. The third-ranked Blue Devil tandem of sophomore Amanda Granson and junior Melissa Mang defeated Daria Petrovic and Berkeley Brock, 8-4, at No. 1, while the freshman duo of Ellah Nze and Reka Zsilinszka posted an 8-6 win over Catherine Grotz and Kristen Bleakley at No. 3.

The Blue Devils were also victorious at the middle slot, marking the fourth time in five matches that Duke has swept the doubles point, as junior Jessi Robinson and senior Tory Zawacki defeated Julia Roach and Lenka Hojckova, 8-5.

Duke then took all six singles matches for its fourth 7-0 shutout win in five contests.

Granson was the first Blue Devil to notch a win, rolling past Neils Barringer at the No. 5 spot, 6-0, 6-0. Zawacki then picked up a straight-set triumph of her own, defeating Bleakley, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 6 before 14th-ranked Nze got past Petrovic, 6-1, 6-4, at the top position to clinch the win for Duke.

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