As the reigning NCAA champion, No. 1 Duke extended its winning streak and remained unbeaten on the season this weekend, sweeping Indiana 7-0 Saturday at Sheffield Tennis Center. The Blue Devils (5-0) have lost just two points all season, blanking three opponents along the way.
The Blue Devils extended their doubles winning streak to 15 against the Hoosiers (7-1). The No. 1 doubles team of senior Amanda Granson and junior Ellah Nze defeated Indiana’s Leslie Hureau and Myriam Sopel soundly with a victory of 8-3 in only 44 minutes. At the No. 2 doubles spot, senior Elizabeth Plotkin and junior Reka Zsilinszka dominated Lindsey Stuckey and Evgeniya Vertesheva, 8-4. Rounding out the doubles matches, sophomore Monica Gorny and freshman Jessica Stiles overpowered Maria Guerreiro and Katya Zapadalov at the No. 3 spot to help the Blue Devils grab the doubles point and take an early lead in the match.
“[Doubles has] really been a focus for the coaches since the season started,” Zsilinszka said. “It’s really starting to show now. It’s good timing because we’re about to go to the [Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s] Indoors.”
The Blue Devils may have been spending time focusing on doubles, but their dominance in singles has shown fans that Duke is a contender for yet another national title. Zsilinszka, ranked 20th in the nation, swept Vertesheva 6-0, 6-0 at the No. 1 singles spot. Losing only one point to Guerreiro at the No. 6 spot, Stiles showed the future potential of the program and moved to a perfect 3-0 on the season.
Nze was the only Duke player that faced a challenge from an opponent. After winning the first set 7-5 over Hureau at the No. 2 singles spot, Nze charged back and swept the second set, 6-0, to finish the match. Plotkin defeated Sopel 6-2, 6-1, and Clayton beat Stuckey 6-2, 6-1 at the Nos. 3 and 5 positions, respectively, and Gorny topped Zapadalova 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 to finish the sweep.
The Blue Devils travel to Madison, Wisc. Feb. 12-15 for the ITA National Indoors.
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