Upcoming Event: Women's Tennis at Kitty Harrison Invitational on September 12, 2025
Women's Tennis
at Kitty Harrison Invitational
Thursday, May 15
Gainesville, Fla.
TBA
Duke University
5
vs
0
William & Mary
Third-Ranked Duke Blanks 10th-ranked William & Mary, 5-0, Advance To Elite Eight
5/15/2003 1:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 15, 2003
GAINESVILLE, FLA. - The third-ranked and third-seeded Duke women's tennis team made quick work of 10th-ranked William & Mary (25-6) on Thursday with a 5-0 victory at the Ring Tennis Complex in Gainesville, Fla. and advanced to the Elite Eight for the 11th time in school history.
The Blue Devils, which own a 13-match win streak, advance to play the winner of the 13th-ranked UCLA vs. sixth-ranked Washington contest on Friday at 10:00 AM. Duke improves to 29-2 overall and is one win shy of tying the ACC record set by Clemson in 1983.
Duke jumped out to a quick 1-0 advantage by taking the doubles point. The 14th-ranked tandem of Hillary Adams and Kelly McCain bolted out to a 6-0 lead before defeating Megan Muth /Lena Sherbakov, 8-1, at the second slot. The eighth-ranked duo of Amanda Johnson and Julie DeRoo then clinched the doubles point with an 8-1 win over 12th-ranked Kate Boomershine and Candice Fuchs at the first position. Duke's doubles teams now own a 55-19 overall record this season.
The Blue Devils were able to take the momentum from winning the doubles point and continue it in singles by taking the first set in all six singles matches. Duke continued its dominance at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions as Katie Blaszak and Katie Granson each registered quick victories to put the Blue Devils up 3-0. Blaszak, a 69th-ranked native of Fairfax, Va., notched a 6-4, 6-3 win over Nina Kemp at No.5 and Granson, a senior product of Bethlehem, Pa., knocked off Sherbakov by a 6-4, 6-2 score at the sixth position. Granson was able to battle back from being down 4-1 in the first set to win her 31st match of the season.
The final point to clinch the match was a race between McCain, Johnson and sophomore Saras Arasu. At the second slot, 19th-ranked Johnson was able to defeat 73rd-ranked Muth (6-2, 7-5) to clinch the match and then a few seconds later second-ranked McCain won at the first position, 6-3, 6-4, over 37th-ranked Candice Fuchs to give Duke the 5-0 victory. McCain improved to 34-2 overall on the season. The rest of the singles matches were then abandoned once Duke clinched the victory.
#3 Duke 5, #10 William & Mary 0
Doubles 1. #8 Amanda Johnson/Julie DeRoo (DU) def. #12 Kate Boomershine/Candice Fuchs (WM) 8-1 2. #14 Kelly McCain/Hillary Adams (DU) def. Megan Muth/Lena Sherbakov (WM) 8-1 3. Katie Granson/Katie Blaszak (DU) vs. Kari Olsen/Nina Kamp (WM) DNFDuke NotesSingles 1. #2 Kelly McCain (DU) def. #30 Candice Fuchs (WM) 6-3, 6-4 2. #19 Amanda Johnson (DU) def. 373 Megan Muth (WM) 6-2, 7-5 3. #60 Saras Arasu (DU) vs. Kate Boomershine (WM) DNF 4. Julie DeRoo (DU) vs. #112 Amy Wei (WM) DNF 5. #69 Katie Blaszak (DU) def. Nina Kamp (WM) 6-4, 6-3 6. Katie Granson (DU) def. Lena Sherbakov (WM) 6-4, 6-2
- 26-2 when winning the doubles point
- Notched its fifth victory against a top-10 team this season
- 13-match win streak
- Continued school-record wins to 29
- Advanced to quarterfinals for 11th time
- Owns a 76-9 record at the No. 1, No. 5 and No. 6 positions in dual match action
- Several Blue Devils improved singles win streaks in the victory - Katie Blaszak won seven in a row; Kelly McCain won 12 in a row; and Katie Granson won nine in a row
- The doubles team of Kelly McCain and Hillary Adams have won 12 of their last 15 contests.
- Blaszak made her first appearance of the season in doubles as she played with Granson at the No. 3 position.
- Freshman Julia Smith did not play due to being ruled ineligible, but a NCAA hearing has been set for Thursday.
- Duke will be looking for its fifth NCAA Final Four appearance on Friday against the Washington/UCLA winner
- d - u - k - e -
Duke Head Coach Jamie Ashworth
On the doubles play: "This was as sharp as we have been all year, especially at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. No. 3 doubles was a new team as it was their first match together. Fundamentally, it was the best doubles we have played all year, which is obviously great to see here."
On the singles play:
"In singles we played ok. I thought after winning the doubles point that quick that we would bring a little more momentum into singles. But with this tournament being in the round of 16, the teams are not going to give up. We got off to good starts winning the first sets on every court, which put William & Mary in such a hole. We hit the ball well in our first match."
What will you focus going into tomorrow's match:
"We will work on some doubles stuff this afternoon and kind of build on the momentum from this match. It was good to have a quick, morning match so we don't have to deal with the heat. We were able to get off the court, get rested and not have to deal with this heat. Hopefully, these teams [UCLA and Washington] will have a long match and we can take advantage of the situation that we were given with the 8:00 a.m. match."
How was it jumping into a doubles match. Was it nerve-racking:
"A little bit. We have kind of known for a couple of days so we have a couple of days to prepare. It was a little interesting having my first doubles match be in the NCAA Tournament. I think it went pretty well. Katie [Granson] normally plays with a lefty so I think it wasn't as easy for her. For me it was a little nerve-racking."
Did doubles help you with momentum going in to singles:
"It did because I don't get that start so I have to be pretty good about going out to get warmed up while the others are playing doubles. It was different, but I think I liked that as it does help your momentum a lot."
"I think I played ok today, but I have had better days. It was a tough match and I think it was good match to get a rhythm going into tomorrow."
On doubles play: "We played really well today. We are playing better as a team more now and that is a key to fundamental doubles."
On having a layoff after the ACC Tournament:
"I think we feel fresher and playing fundamental doubles, we're playing a lot better now."
How key was getting the momentum early in doubles:
"It was huge. In both doubles matches we went up 8-1 and we knocked one off early. I think it crushed their confidence a little bit."
Players Mentioned
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