The three-week break from match play might have been the Blue Devils' biggest opponent over the weekend.
No. 3 Duke (25-3) dealt with its rustiness and avoided any potential stumbles with ease, defeating Richmond and Virginia on back-to-back days at Ambler Tennis Stadium to move onto the Round of 16 for the 13th time in school history.
The Blue Devils also extended their winning streak to 14 with the victory.
"We ended the season playing really well, so we were just excited to play," head coach Jamie Ashworth said. "It was just good to get back on the court."
"I think we did a great job [not overlooking the first two rounds]," senior Melissa Mang said. "We knew that [Richmond and Virginia] were not going to give us any easy matches, and we were ready for that. We came out really ready to play. I think it's a great, great start to the tournament."
It was smooth sailing once the Blue Devils got in rhythm. On Friday, they jumped all over Richmond (17-6) from the start, dropping only two games in the two doubles matches that were completed. Jessi Robinson and Mallory Cecil manhandled the Spiders' No. 2 pair 8-0 in under half an hour, and the tandem of Mang and Amanda Granson gave Duke the doubles point with an 8-2 victory.
Three easy singles points and a 4-0 result later, Duke turned its attention to its next challenge: the third meeting with No. 27 Virginia since April 4. Having already lost to the Blue Devils twice in the span of a month, the Cavaliers (14-10) went into the match with nothing to lose, and it was essential for Duke to match that intensity level.
"We knew from the very beginning of doubles that they were after us," Mang said. "We knew it was going to be a tough match, and I think that helped us get fired up, knowing that...we still have to go out there and beat them again, or else our season's over."
Duke took a heavily contested doubles point against the Cavaliers, and in singles play, Robinson contributed a 6-0, 7-5 victory and Cecil thrashed her opponent in straight sets.
And with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Claire Bartlett, Mang put the win in the books soundly Saturday to improve her dual match record to 24-2, including an undefeated conference record at the No. 5 spot.
The Blue Devils head to College Station, Texas to take on No. 14 Arkansas Friday, with the victor taking on the winner of the Miami/UCLA match Sunday.
If Duke faces the Hurricanes in the quarterfinals, the two teams could relive their epic ACC tournament final, which Duke edged 4-3 last month.
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