Blue Devils Coast Past Wake Forest

Wednesday, April 14

Winston-Salem, N.C.

3:00 p.m.

Duke University

Wake Forest

Blue Devils Coast Past Wake Forest

4/14/2010 7:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.-The Duke University women's tennis team resumed its winning ways this evening with a 4-1 victory over Wake Forest University. The sixth-ranked Blue Devils cruised to straight sets in singles play to earn the win.

Duke improves to 18-5 overall and 6-3 in ACC play, while Wake Forest drops to 8-13 overall and 2-7 in league action.

For the first time in eight matches, the Blue Devils dropped the doubles point to go down 1-0 early in the match. The 36th-ranked Demon Deacon tandem of Sasha Kulikova and Kathryn Talbert coasted to an 8-3 victory at No. 1, while Aileen Davis and Emilee Malvehy handed Duke's Mary Clayton and Monica Gorny their third loss in an 8-5 victory that gave Wake Forest the 1-0 advantage.

Duke quickly rebounded in singles, going up early across all five courts. The Blue Devils won each of the five first sets and senior Amanda Granson was the first off the court with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Malvehy on court four.

"We got off to a slow start, but in singles we were about to get up in the first sets on all of the courts," head coach Jamie Ashworth said. "I think that really set the tone for the match since we haven't been doing that recently even in the matches we won."

Gorny followed Granson soon after as she posted her 14th dual match win of the year. The South Africa native cruised to the 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Katarina Reveche from the No. 5 position.

The Blue Devils continued to roll through singles with Plotkin dropping her foe 6-2, 6-2 from the No. 2 spot. The win is Plotkin's 19th dual contest win of the year and pushes her league record to 6-2 overall. Junior Ellah Nze clinched the win for Duke from No. 1, getting past No. 40 Martina Pavelec 6-3, 6-3 for her 15th victory of the spring.

"Ellah played one of the best matches she's played all year this afternoon," Ashworth said. "She lost to her in the fall and she's had some great results this year so I think her getting up early really helped the team overall and were able to relax a little bit after that."

With the match already decided, Zsilinszka and Clayton did not finish their matches at No. 3 and No. 6, respectively. Zsilinszka was headed into a third set, while Clayton was up a break, 2-0 in the first set.

Duke closes out regular season play this weekend, hosting Florida State and Miami on April 17 and 18, respectively. Both matches are slated to start at 1 p.m.

Duke 4, Wake Forest 1
Apr 14, 2010 at Winston-Salem, N.C. (Leighton Stadium)

Singles competition

1. #50 Ellah Nze (DU) def. #40 Martina Pavelec (WAKE) 6-3, 6-3

2. #77 Elizabeth Plotkin (DU) def. Sasha Kulikova (WAKE) 6-2, 6-2

3. Kathryn Talbert (WAKE) vs. #36 Reka Zsilinszka (DU) 2-6, 7-5, unfinished

4. Amanda Granson (DU) def. Emilee Malvehy (WAKE) 6-4, 6-2

5. Monica Gorny (DU) def. Katarina Reveche (WAKE) 6-4, 6-2

6. Ryann Cutillo (WAKE) vs. Mary Clayton (DU) 0-2, unfinished

Doubles competition

1. #36 Sasha Kulikova/Kathryn Talbert (WAKE) def. #47 Amanda Granson/Ellah Nze (DU) 8-3

2. Aileen Davis/Emilee Malvehy (WAKE) def. #66 Mary Clayton/Monica Gorny (DU) 8-5

3. Katarina Reveche/Martina Pavelec (WAKE) vs. #61 Elizabeth Plotkin/Reka Zsilinszka (DU) 4-6, unfinished