If it is by one point or 50, a win is a win-but some wins are just a little sweeter than others. Like those that are decided by the last point, or those, say, against an archrival.
Coming off a 4-3 victory against Maryland that demonstrated Duke's strong singles play and proved it could win tight matches, the No. 14 Blue Devils (12-5, 5-1 in the ACC) plan to take that energy and confidence into their bout against No. 5 North Carolina (22-3, 7-0) at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Ambler Tennis Stadium.
As the two schools near the end of the annual Carlyle Cup competition, Duke certainly hopes to be on the sweeter side of the rivalry.
"We've been waiting for this match almost the entire season, it's marked down on our calendar so everybody is really fired up," Carleton said. "They're a really feisty, scrappy team but we have a lot of talent and a lot of confidence, so I feel like it should be a really good match up."
The last time out, the Blue Devils lost the doubles point and two early singles matches to trail the 37th-ranked Terrapins, 3-1, Sunday afternoon.
Duke struck back with two singles victories in a row, however, to tie the score and senior Jackie Carlton won the decisive third set, 6-1, to clinch the victory for the Blue Devils.
"The doubles point is important momentum wise, but I think our singles point is at a point where we can win four, five, six matches, which we proved against Maryland," head coach Jamie Ashworth said.
Maryland's loss to Duke was eerily familiar for the Terrapins-just the day before the Terps had lost, 4-3, to UNC. In fact, the Tar Heels also swept Boston College, 7-0, Sunday right after the Blue Devils did the same Saturday.
North Carolina will be the first of three ACC matches for the Blue Devils that represents the high level of competition that the conference has reached. Duke will also face No. 24 Clemson and No. 12 Georgia Tech this week.
"The conference has gotten unbelievably tough," Ashworth said. "Four or five years ago we could go through and play maybe one team that was in the top 25.... Every match is a battle and you've got to be ready to play every time you step on the court."
With UNC leading the race for the Carlyle Cup, 10-8, a Blue Devil victory this afternoon would close that margin to one with six sports still to be decided.
Additionally, a win would move the Blue Devils past the Tar Heels and into third place in the conference standings.
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