Blue Devils Sweep Indiana, 7-0

Saturday, February 6

Durham, N.C.

11:00 AM

Duke University

Indiana

Blue Devils Sweep Indiana, 7-0

2/6/2010 2:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke was a force against Indiana, winning 7-0 today at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center to remain a perfect 5-0 on the year.

The Blue Devils continued their dominance in doubles play, extending their record to 15-0 in dual matches this season. At No. 1 doubles, the tandem of senior Amanda Granson and junior Ellah Nze beat the Indiana pair of Leslie Hureau and Myriam Sopel, 8-3. The Blue Devils were up 6-1, controlling the match and finishing the Hoosiers off in 44 minutes.

On court three, the Blue Devils' pair of sophomore Monica Gorny and freshman Jessica Stiles defeated Lindsey Stuckey and Maria Guerreiro of Indiana, 8-5. Duke led the match 3-0, before Indiana was able to fight back at 6-4. Gorny and Stiles closed out the match in 50 minutes to clinch the point for the Blue Devils.

In No. 2 doubles, Duke won an 8-4 match over Indiana. Senior Elizabeth Plotkin and junior Reka Zsilinszka led the Hoosier pair of Lindsey Stuckey and Evgeniya Vertesheva, 7-3, and battled at deuce before Indiana was able to grab its final game point. Duke ended the match quickly in the next game to take the win in 55 minutes.

Zsilinszka said doubles play has, "really been a focus for the coaches since the season started, so it's really starting to show now. It's good timing because we're about to go to the [Intercollegiate Tennis Association's] Indoors."

Stiles led Duke off the court first in singles action, making quick work of Indiana's Maria Guerreiro, 6-0, 6-1 to pick up the first singles match point for the Blue Devils. With the win, Stiles improved to 3-0 on the year at the No. 6 spot.

At No. 3 singles, Duke's Plotkin took down Myriam Sopel of Indiana, 6-2, 6-1. Plotkin cruised in the second set to give Duke the 3-0 team lead.

"Every match, she gets more and more comfortable. Every match she knows she's getting better," said head coach Jamie Ashworth of Plotkin. "One of the things that I was most proud of for this group today was every second set we won easier than the first one. We didn't let up at all ... We had some close first sets, and once we won those first sets, we didn't let anyone into the match at all."

Zsilinszka registered a dominating 6-0, 6-0 win over Vertesheva on court one. Improving to 3-1 on the season, 20th-ranked Zsilinszka recorded the quick victory without dropping a single game. Last weekend, Zsilinszka battled her way to a grueling 7-5, 6-4 victory at the No. 1 spot against VCU.

"I just felt a lot better coming out today," Zsilinszka said. "I was serving well and we just had a good team environment today. Everyone came out with a lot of energy. You could see everyone pumping themselves up. It made me play better and made everyone play better."

Freshman Mary Clayton registered a win for Duke on court five, her fourth victory of the season. After falling behind 1-2 in the first set, Clayton battled back to defeat the Hoosiers' Lindsey Stuckey, 6-2, 6-1.

In No. 2 doubles, Nze had a close 7-5 win the first set, but charged back to win a commanding 6-0 second set to finish the match against Hureau.

Gorny collected the final team point for Duke, beating Zapadalova 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 singles to end the day's action and the Blue Devil's impressive display.

"We said we wanted to go into Madison [Wisc.] on a roll," Ashworth said. "We didn't want to look ahead to Madison too much, but at the same time we wanted to use this match to propel us forward, and score-wise we couldn't have played much better."

Duke will return to action at the ITA National Indoors in Madison, Wisc. on Feb. 12-15.

-d-u-k-e-

Duke 7, Indiana 0
Feb 06, 2010 at Durham, N.C. (Sheffield Tennis Center)

Singles competition

1. #20 Reka Zsilinszka (DU) def. Evgeniya Vertesheva (IND) 6-0, 6-0

2. #91 Ellah Nze (DU) def. Leslie Hureau (IND) 7-5, 6-0

3. Elizabeth Plotkin (DU) def. Myriam Sopel (IND) 6-2, 6-1

4. #63 Monica Gorny (DU) def. Katya Zapadalova (IND) 6-4, 6-2

5. Mary Clayton (DU) def. Lindsey Stuckey (IND) 6-2, 6-1

6. Jessica Stiles (DU) def. Maria Guerreiro (IND) 6-0, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. Amanda Granson/Ellah Nze (DU) def. Leslie Hureau/Myriam Sopel (IND) 8-3