Blue Devils Breeze By Badgers; Set To Take On No. 1 Northwestern

Friday, February 13

Madison, Wi.

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Duke University

Wisconsin

Blue Devils Breeze By Badgers; Set To Take On No. 1 Northwestern

2/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

MADISON, WIS.?The eighth-ranked Duke University women's tennis team opened the ITA National Team Indoor Championship with an easy 7-0 win over host Wisconsin. The Blue Devils advance to the second round and take on top-ranked Northwestern tomorrow, Feb. 14 at 4:30 p.m. (EST).

Duke improves to 6-0 on the season, while 68th-ranked Wisconsin falls to 2-4 overall. The 7-0 victory is the third blanking for the Blue Devils this season.

“We didn't play as well as I would have liked,” head coach Jamie Ashworth said. “We had great first sets, but we need to do a better job of finishing points and games. We are more talented than Wisconsin and we let them back into some of the matches. Our doubles just keeps getting better and better, which is good. Hopefully tomorrow we can play well there and take that momentum into singles.”

Duke opened the morning session by breezing through doubles play. Sophomores Ellah Nze and Reka Zsilinszka cruised to an 8-1 victory against Ekaterina Mirnova and Dana Larsen at No. 3. It marked the fourth time this season that the duo posted an 8-1 triumph over their opponents.

Senior Jessi Robinson and rookie Mallory Cecil defeated Jessica Seyferth and Aleksandra Markovic in the No. 2 slot, 8-3. Robinson and Cecil are 4-2 overall after joining forces just over a month ago.

“We've talked off the court a lot about how we play and what we like and what we don't like,” Cecil said. “I feel like we are just starting to get into a rhythm [as a pair] now.”

Melissa Mang and Amanda Granson rounded out the doubles victories for Duke in the No. 1 spot. They dropped Elizabeth Carpenter and Angela Chupa 8-5 to improve to 4-0 in dual matches this season.

In singles, Cecil grabbed a big three-set victory over Carpenter in the No. 1 spot. She won 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 to remain unbeaten in dual action.

“She was playing really well,” Cecil said. “I knew I had to be the one to get that one extra ball. I tried to out rally her and I knew if I made her hit enough balls she would eventually break down.”

“I think [Mallory Cecil] stopped being as aggressive [in the second set],” Ashworth said. “We needed her to keep moving forward in the court and putting pressure on her opponent. That's what she did in the third set and she won easily.”

Jessi Robinson cruised to a 6-0, 6-4 win in the sixth spot to secure another point for the Blue Devils. She improves to 5-1 in duals this season and has won three straight.

Both Nze and Zslinszka swept their opponents in straight sets in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively. Nze defeated Mirnova 6-4, 7-6, while Zsilinszka wasted little time with Seyferth in a 6-0, 6-1 win. It marked her fifth dual match this season where she has dropped two games or less.

Mang also breezed through her singles match at No. 5. She dispatched Markovic 6-1, 6-2 to push her win streak to nine matches heading into the contest with the Wildcats. Granson held off a charge from Chupa to win 6-3, 7-5 in the fourth spot.

Duke takes on No. 1 Northwestern at 4:30 p.m., Feb. 14. Fans can follow a live blog by visiting www.uwbadgers.com.

“We are totally fired up [to play Northwestern],” Cecil said. “We know we can play and beat any team here. We are strong and we have great depth. It's us who are going into the match with nothing to lose and we're looking to come out on top.”

Duke University 7, Wisconsin 0
Feb 13, 2009 at Madison, Wis. (Nielson Tennis Center)

Singles competition

1. Mallory Cecil (DU) def. Elizabeth Carpenter (WIS) 6-3, 4-6, 6-0

2. #43 Ellah Nze (DU) def. Ekatarina Mirnova (WIS) 6-4, 7-6

3. #56 Reka Zsilinszka (DU) def. Jessica Seyferth (WIS) 6-0, 6-1

4. #48 Amanda Granson (DU) def. Angela Chupa (WIS) 6-3, 7-5

5. Melissa Mang (DU) def. Aleksandra Markovic (WIS) 6-1, 6-2

6. Jessi Robinson (DU) def. Dana Larsen (WIS) 6-0, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. #20 Melissa Mang/Amanda Granson (DU) def. Elizabeth Carpenter/Angela Chupa (WIS) 8-5

2. Jessi Robinson/Mallory Cecil (DU) def. Jessica Seyferth/Aleksandra Markovic (WIS) 8-3

3. Ellah Nze/Reka Zsilinszka (DU) def. Ekatarina Mirnova/Dana Larsen (WIS) 8-1