Second-seeded Duke fell to No. 4 Clemson in thrilling fashion in the ACC tournament finals Sunday at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
The match between the Blue Devils (18-4) and the Tigers (15-9) came down to a third-set tiebreak at the third singles slot between Duke's Reka Zsilinszka and Clemson's Carol Salge. Salge pushed the Tigers to the title with an 8-6 win in the tiebreaker to seal a 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 victory.
"In the 12 years I've been here, it was one of the most heartbreaking losses we've had," head coach Jamie Ashworth said. "We put in a great effort."
Clemson had jumped on top by earning the doubles point, but victories by ACC Frehsman of the Year Ellah Nze, Amanda Granson and Melissa Mang tied the match at three.
Mang's win came in another three-set thriller, as she beat Ina Hadziselimovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to set the stage for Zsilinszka and Salge.
Clemson was responsible for one of Duke's two regular-season conference losses, clobbering the Blue Devils 6-1 in Durham March 23.
"They're much better than their ranking," Ashworth said. "We played a much better match this time against them."
In that match, only Mang registered a point for Duke. This time, it came down to the wire.
"I'm really proud of them, especially with today," Ashworth said of his team's performance in the tournament. "To be able to play that way in pressure situations was important."
Duke defeated Florida State in Saturday's semifinals behind victories by Nze, Mang, Granson and Jessi Robinson.
The Blue Devils will now prepare for the NCAA tournament. Seeding for the tournament will be announced April 19.
-from staff reports
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