Blue Devils Fall To Notre Dame In Battle Of Top Five Teams

Thursday, March 12

Orlando, Fl.

12:00 p.m.

Duke University

Notre Dame

Blue Devils Welcome No. 2 Tar Heels in Big ACC Match

Blue Devils Fall To Notre Dame In Battle Of Top Five Teams

3/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C.?The third-ranked Duke University women's tennis team dropped a tough 5-2 decision to No. 4 Notre Dame today in Orlando, Fla. The loss is just the Blue Devils' second this season.

Duke (11-2) captured the doubles point, the team's first doubles victory over a top-10 opponent this season. Rookie Mallory Cecil and senior Jessi Robinson captured an 8-5 victory over the duo of Kali Krisik and Cosmina Ciobanu in the No. 2 spot. The sophomore tandem of Ellah Nze and Reka Zsilisnzka clinched the point for the Blue Devils with an 8-6 defeat of Shannon Matthews and Colleen Rielley at No. 3.

Duke's top pair of Amanda Granson and Melissa Mang fell to second-ranked Kristy Frilling and Kelcy Tefft 8-3.

“It was the first top-10 doubles point we won this season and we relaxed a little too much I think,” head coach Jamie Ashworth said. “We learned a lesson in that everyone knows we all have to come out to win and to compete. I really think we let up a little bit after doubles. We hadn't lost four matches in singles all year and we can't assume people are going to win matches and hopefully we learned that lesson today.”

The lone singles winner for the Blue Devils came at No. 3 with Nze. She dropped Kristen Rafael 6-2, 6-2. Nze remains unbeaten on the year at 11-0 and ranked 24th in the nation. Cecil played a tough match at No. 1, losing narrowly to No. 31 Tefft 7-6 (8-6), 7-6, (12-10).

Losing her first sets and match of the season was Zsilinszka at No. 2. The Fayetteville, N.C. native suffered a 7-5, 6-2 setback from 55th-ranked Frilling. Zsilinszka is now 11-1 on the season and has lost just two sets all season.

In the No. 4 spot, Granson lost to Ciobanu, 6-1, 7-6, while Mang fell to Matthews 6-3, 6-4 in the fifth singles position. Robinson rounded out the lineup at No. 6 with a 6-1, 6-3 loss to Krisik.

Duke returns to Durham for a few days before heading south again for matches at Florida State and Miami on March 20 and March 22, respectively. Miami is ranked sixth and Florida State comes in at No. 24.

#4 Notre Dame 5, #3 Duke University 2
Mar 12, 2009 at Orlando, Fla.

Singles competition

1. #31 Kelcy Tefft (UND) def. #28 Mallory Cecil (DU) 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (12-10)

2. #55 Kristy Frilling (UND) def. #30 Reka Zsilinszka (DU) 7-5, 6-2

3. #24 Ellah Nze (DU) def. #114 Kristen Rafael (UND) 6-2, 6-2

4. Cosmina Ciobanu (UND) def. #66 Amanda Granson (DU) 6-1, 7-6

5. Shannon Mathews (UND) def. Melissa Mang (DU) 6-3, 6-4

6. Kali Krisik (UND) def. Jessi Robinson (DU) 6-1, 6-3

Doubles competition

1. #2 Kristy Frilling/Kelcy Tefft (UND) def. #11 Amanda Granson/Melissa Mang (DU) 8-3

2. Mallory Cecil/Jessi Robinson (DU) def. Kali Krisik/Cosmina Ciobanu (UND) 8-5

3. Ellah Nze/Reka Zsilinszka (DU) def. Shannon Mathews/Colleen Rielley (UND) 8-6