Duke Advances with Win Over Southern California

Saturday, February 13

Madison, Wis.

4:30 p.m.

Duke University

Southern California

Duke Advances with Win Over Southern California

2/13/2010 10:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

MADISON, Wis.-Duke University senior Amanda Granson captured her sixth win of the season to send the top-ranked Blue Devils to the ITA National Team Indoor Championship with a 4-2 victory over No. 8 Southern California. Duke advances to the semifinals and will take on No. 11 North Carolina on Feb. 14.

"I've just been building off of the matches we've played all season and in the fall," Granson said. "The energy was great and I had all the girls cheering me on and the atmosphere here is amazing. It felt great to clinch it for the team."

"We have had a lot of wins, but this is the first time we've played a team of this caliber," head coach Jamie Ashworth said. It was our first tough match and it was good to have a win like this. It was big for this group, especially having three new people in our lineup."

The Blue Devils (7-0) got the match started on the right foot by taking the crucial doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 2. The duo of senior Elizabeth Plotkin and junior Reka Zsilinszka were off the court first with an 8-1 triumph over Danielle Lao and Alison Ramos. Duke's top tandem of Granson and junior Ellah Nze also remained unbeaten on the season, coasting past Maria Sanchez and Lyndsay Kinstler 8-3 to clinch the point.

"One and two doubles we just really served well and that was a huge thing for us," Ashworth said. "We talked about how important it is to come out fast and we did a really good job of that. Those were two really quality wins for us and to win those one and two doubles is big for us, especially because North Carolina has really good doubles as well."

In singles action Plotkin proved that she is a force to be dealt with in the No. 3 spot. The native of San Francisco cruised to a straight-set victory, 6-1, 6-4 over 18th-ranked Lao to give Duke the 2-0 lead.

"Every time we play she gets better and better and more comfortable out there." Ashworth said. She knew that she could get free points on her serve and she was able to do that today. As we continue this season and get into big matches we will need her play will be big for us."

Southern California grabbed its first point of the match with a win at No. 1 from eighth-ranked Maria Sanchez. She outlasted Duke's 20th-ranked Zsilinszka 6-3, 6-4.

The Blue Devils came right back to get a third point with three matches to play as No. 63 Monica Gorny edged Leyla Entekhabi 6-4, 6-4 from the fifth singles spot.

Needing just one more win to earn a spot in the semifinals, Nze, Granson and rookie Mary Clayton took to the courts for the final three matches of the evening.

Nze dropped the first set 6-4 to No. 39 Alison Ramos, but rebounded in a big way with a 6-1 win in the second set to force a third set.

While Nze was embroiled in a battle on court two, Granson was working her way to clinching that final point for the Blue Devils against 37th-ranked Valeria Pulido. The native of Hilton Head, S.C., grabbed the first set 6-3 and followed through in the second set to win 6-3, 6-2 and launch the Duke into the semifinals.

"I got down 2-1 in the second set and then I decided to really pressure her and go after my shots and I think that's what got me through it," Granson said. "I really didn't give her room to breathe and I moved around a lot and that kept her a little off balance."

Nze nearly completed the comeback, leading 4-3 in the third set before retiring. USC grabbed a second point with a 6-4, 6-4 win from Cristala Andrews over Duke's Clayton at No. 6.

The Blue Devils advance to the semifinal round and will take on No. 11 North Carolina on Feb. 14 at 4:30 p.m. The Tar Heels defeated fifth-ranked Baylor in their quarterfinal match.

"It feels absolutely incredible to win the match. This is the first time we've been tested. We believe in each other and have been practicing really well. I know we'll bring that same mentality into the match against North Carolina."

#1 Duke 4, #8 Southern California 2
Feb 13, 2010 at Madison, Wis. (Nielsen Tennis Stadium)

Singles competition

1. #8 Maria Sanchez (USC) def. #20 Reka Zsilinszka (DU) 6-3, 6-4

2. #91 Ellah Nze (DU) vs. #39 Alison Ramos (USC) 4-6, 6-1, 4-3, unfinished

3. Elizabeth Plotkin (DU) def. #18 Danielle Lao (USC) 6-1, 6-4

4. Amanda Granson (DU) def. #37 Valeria Pulido (USC) 6-3, 6-2

5. #63 Monica Gorny (DU) def. Leyla Entekhabi (USC) 6-4, 6-4

6. Cristala Andrews (USC) def. Mary Clayton (DU) 6-4, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. Ellah Nze/Amanda Granson (DU) def. Maria Sanchez/Lyndsay Kinstler (USC) 8-3

2. Elizabeth Plotkin/Reka Zsilinszka (DU) def. Danielle Lao/Alison Ramos (USC) 8-1

3. Valeria Pulido/Cristala Andrews (USC) def. Jessica Stiles/Monica Gorny (DU) 8-7 (8-0)