May 18, 2000

MALIBU, CALIF. - The No. 11 ranked Arizona State women's tennis team knocked out the No. 6 Duke Blue Devils on Thursday 5-2 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships. The loss for Duke breaks its streak of advancing to four straight Final Fours.

The match got started in Arizona State's favor and Duke never was able to gain the momentum going down 2-1 early. The Sun Devils won the first singles match at the No. 5 slot with No. 81 Megan Yeats downing freshman Hillary Adams (6-0, 6-2). Duke came right back and took the No. 2 slot with No. 37 Kathy Sell defeating No. 24 Karin Palme 6-1, 6-2.

Arizona State was able to take the No. 1 slot with No. 15 Allison Bradshaw winning 6-2, 6-0 over No. 12 Megan Miller to give the Sun Devils a 2-1 lead. Duke's Erica Biro then evened up the score at 3-3 with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Faye DeVera, but ASU took the final two singles spots with Kerry Giardino defeating Katie Granson 6-3, 8-7 (7-4) at No. 3 and Mhairi Brown knocking off Prim Siripipat of Duke 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 at No. 6. In both matches, Duke had chances but could not capitalize.

It came down to Duke having to win all three doubles matches and it just was not meant to be with ASU's No. 3 doubles team of Giardino/Palme winning 8-6 over Sell/Granson to win the match 5-2. The Blue Devils were winning No. 1 doubles 7-6 when the match was called.

Duke ends the season at 23-6 and Arizona State improves to 15-7 and will face Florida on Friday morning at 8:00 AM.

Singles
1. No. 15 Allison Bradshaw, ASU d. No. 12 Megan Miller 6-2, 6-0
2. No. 37 Kathy Sell, DU d. No. 24 Karin Palme 6-1, 6-2
3. Kerry Giardino, ASU d. Katie Granson 6-3, 8-7 (7-4)
4. Erica Biro, DU d. Faye DeVera 6-3, 6-4
5. No. 81 Megan Yeats, ASU d. Hillary Adams 6-0, 6-2
6. Mhairi Brown, ASU d. Prim Siripipat 7-6 (7-2), 6-2

Doubles 1. No. 21 Biro/Brooke Siebel, DU vs. No. 18 Bradshaw/Celena McCoury, ASU DNF
2. Megan Miller/Adams, DU vs. Brown/Yeats DNF
3. Giardino/Palme, ASU d. Sell/Granson 8-6