Carleton and Cunha End Run With Loss In Championship Match

WEST HAVEN, Conn. - Duke's Reid Carleton and Henrique Cunha had a tremendous run through the ITA National Indoor Championships, making it to the championship match and falling just shy of the title with a three set loss on Sunday in West Haven, Conn.

Carleton and Cunha were only the second Duke doubles team to compete for a national championship, joining Dmitry Muzyka and Sven Koehler, who made the finals of the ITA All-American Championships in 1996.

On Sunday Carleton and Cunha went up against No. 8 Bradley Klahn and Ryan Thacher of Stanford. The Cardinals duo is the No. 3 seed in the tournament and got off to a good start, winning the first set 6-1. As they have done all week, Carleton and Cunha got on a hot streak and rallied back to take the second set 6-2. However, Klahn and Thacher would come out on top in the end, taking the deciding third set 6-2.

Carleton and Cunha end the fall season with a 17-3 overall record. Sunday's loss snapped an 11-match winning streak for the two players.

The 2010 season will start Jan. 16-18 with the Duke Invitational. The first dual match will be Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. against Elon.