Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis at Kitty Harrison Invitational on September 12, 2025
Women's Tennis
at Kitty Harrison Invitational
Sunday, January 26
Durham, N.C.
TBA
Duke University
4
vs
3
Vanderbilt
#4 Duke Upends #8 Vanderbilt, 4-3, In Women's Tennis Action Sunday
1/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jan. 26, 2003
DURHAM, N.C. - The fourth-ranked Duke women's tennis team ended a two-match losing streak to eight-ranked Vanderbilt on Sunday with a 4-3 victory in the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center.
Duke (3-0) opened the match by taking a 1-0 lead with the completion of the doubles action. The Blue Devils received victories at the number two and three positions to notch the point. Duke's 11th-ranked duo of Julie DeRoo/Amanda Johnson knocked off Kelly Schmandt/Audra Falk (8-3) at number two and 49th-ranked Katie Granson/Julia Smith downed Ashley Schellhas/Annie Menees (8-0) at the third slot. Vanderbilt's second ranked tandem of Sarah Riske/Aleke Tsoubanos won at number one, 8-4, over 13th-ranked Hillary Adams/Kelly McCain.
Vanderbilt (6-1) came out strong in singles action winning at number four and then at three to take a 2-1 advantage. The Commodores received a 6-0, 6-2 victory by 121st-ranked Schmandt over 65th-ranked Smith, while Falk knocked off Duke's 36th-ranked DeRoo, 6-1, 6-3.
Duke came back to even the score at 2-2 with a 6-0, 6-2 victory by Granson over Menees at the sixth slot, but Vanderbilt came right back with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at number two by Tsoubanos over 15th-ranked Johnson, to take a 3-2 lead. The Blue Devils then received a key 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory at the number one position by second ranked McCain over 32nd-ranked Riske to even the match, 3-3.
The match came down to Duke sophomore Katie Blaszak against Schellhas at the fifth slot. Blaszak, a transfer from Vanderbilt, won the first set 6-4 but Schellhas came back to win 7-6 with a 13-11 tiebreaker in the second set, which forced a match deciding third set. Blaszak was able to dominate the third set (6-2) to lead Duke to a 4-3 team victory.
"It was a great win for us both emotionally and mentally," said Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth. "It was the longest losing streak for us against anybody in the nation so it was very good to overcome it. Katie's [Blaszak] win was huge for her after losing the second set. She played very aggressive in the third set and was able to come away with the victory."
Duke will next host Indiana on Saturday at 11:30 AM in the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center.
Singles 1. #2 Kelly McCain (DU) def. #32 Sarah Riske (VU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 2. Aleke Tsoubanos (VU) def. #15 Amanda Johnson (DU) 1-6, 2-6 3. Audra Falk (VU) def. #36 Julie DeRoo (DU) 6-1, 6-3 4. #121 Kelly Schmandt (VU) def. #65 Julia Smith (DU) 6-0, 6-2 5. #81 Katie Blaszak (DU) def. #T125 Ashley Schellhas (VU) 6-4, 6-7 (13-11), 6-2 6. Katie Granson (DU) def. Annie Menees (VU) 6-0, 6-2- d - u - k - e -Doubles 1. Aleke Tsoubanos/Sarah Riske (VU) def. Hillary Adams/Kelly McCain (DU) 8-4 2. Amanda Johnson/Julie DeRoo (DU) def. Kelly Schmandt/Audra Falk (VU) 8-3 3. Julia Smith/Katie Granson (DU) def. Ashley Schellhas/Annie Menees (VU) 8-0
Players Mentioned
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