No. 7 Duke Holds off No. 40 Texas, Wins 4-3

Sunday, February 21

Durham, N.C.

12:00 PM

Duke University

Texas

Blue Devils Conclude Day One of Duke Bonk Invite

No. 7 Duke Holds off No. 40 Texas, Wins 4-3

2/21/2016 4:07:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score: Duke 4 Texas 3

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – The No. 7 Duke women's tennis team returned from a two-week break with a 4-3 victory against No. 40 Texas on Sunday at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center. The Blue Devils led 3-0 and 4-1 before the Longhorns won the final two matches. Duke improved to 4-0 in home matches and 7-1 overall as redshirt freshman Christina Makarova clinched the match on court six.

“We kind of relaxed a little bit and took our foot off the gas,” head coach Jamie Ashworth said. “We can't afford to do that. It's definitely something we have to work on with closing and finishing opportunities. We did a good job of putting ourselves in the right positions, but just didn't finish. Hopefully we get better as we start playing more matches more consistently.”

The Blue Devils breezed through doubles, taking decisions on courts one and three to capture the point. Duke started the roll on court one, with a 6-1 win by No. 27 Beatrice Capra and Ellyse Hamlin against the No. 32 team of Breaunna Addison and Danielle Wagland. Capra and Hamlin jumped ahead 4-0 before Addison and Wagland were able to claim a game. Capra and Hamlin held and then broke for the third time in the match to end it and earn their first victory of the year against a ranked opponent. Capra and Hamlin improve to 12-6 overall and 3-3 in dual matches.

Duke ended the doubles point on court three, where No. 49 Chalena Scholl and Alyssa Smith topped Lana Groenvynck and Katie Poluta, 6-2. After dropping the first game of the match, the Blue Devils won five straight to go up 5-1. Texas held on its service game, but a Duke hold ended the set. Scholl and Smith are now 7-2 overall and 5-1 in dual matches.

The court two match between Duke's Samantha Harris and Kaitlyn McCarthy and Texas' Neda Koprcina and Daniella Roldan was halted once the doubles point was determined with the Longhorns leading 4-3.

“We played great doubles,” Ashworth said. “That was the best doubles we had played all year.”

The Blue Devils took a 2-0 lead as Harris dominated Roldan, 6-0, 6-2 on court four. Harris won the first nine games before Roldan broke to make it a 3-1 second set. Harris then led 5-1 and Roldan held for a 5-2 set, but Harris served out for the match. Harris improves to 7-4 overall and 4-3 in dual matches.

Duke added its third point on court two, where No. 21 McCarthy downed Wagland, 6-3, 6-0. In the opening set, McCarthy raced out to a 4-1 advantage before Wagland won consecutive games to cut the deficit to 4-3. McCarthy then broke and held to end the first set. McCarthy cruised through the second set, upping her overall record to 20-3 and 7-1 in dual matches.

Texas secured its first point to make it a 3-1 deficit from No. 8 Addison, who defeated No. 24 Capra, 6-1, 7-5 on court one. Capra fell behind 4-0 in the opening set and made it 4-1, but Addison won the last two games. In the second set, Capra again fell behind early, trailing 2-0 and 4-2. Capra held and broke to even the action at 4-4. The two exchanged breaks to even the set again at 5-5. Addison broke for a final time and held to win the match. Capra falls to 6-3 overall and 2-2 in dual matches.

The Blue Devils clinched the match with Makarova's 6-3, 6-4 victory against Groenvynck on court six. Makarova sprinted ahead 4-0 in the opening set before a late Groenvynck rally made it 4-3. Makarova held and broke to end the opening set. The second set had the two tied at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 before Groenvynck broke and took a 4-3 lead. Makarova answered immediately with three consecutive wins to end the match. Makarova improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in dual matches.

“I was up 3-2 in the second set and then lost the next two games on deciding points,” Makarova said. “It could have been 5-2 and that would have been so much easier. I was just trying to buckle down, focus and try my best.”

Texas registered the last two points with three-set wins on courts three and five. Poluta tallied the Longhorns' second point, easing past No. 68 Hamlin 6-4, 0-6, 6-3. The opening set had the two tied at each point up to four. Poluta held her service game to go ahead 5-4 and then broke Hamlin to end it. Hamlin ripped through the second set with six straight wins before Poluta won the first two games in the third set. Hamlin cut the deficit to 2-1 and 3-2, but Poluta answered with consecutive wins to go ahead 5-2. Hamlin held on her service game, but Poluta served out for the victory. Hamlin falls to 7-3 overall and 1-1 in dual action.

On court three, it was Koprcina coming back to drop Scholl 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Scholl turned a 1-1 tie into a 4-1 lead in the opening set and didn't look back. It was Koprcina who took the early lead in the second set, leading 3-1 and 5-2. Scholl won consecutive games to make it a 5-4 deficit, but Koprcina served out to force a third set. Once in the third set, Koprcina led 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 before a Scholl break made it just a 4-3 deficit. Koprcina answered immediately with a break to go ahead 5-3 before closing out on her service game. Scholl dips to 10-6 overall and 5-1 in dual matches.

The Blue Devils continue their four-match home stand at 5 p.m. Friday with the beginning of ACC play, against Florida State.

#7 Duke 4, #40 Texas 3
Feb. 21, 2016 at Durham, N.C. (Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center)

Doubles competition
1. #27 Beatrice Capra/Ellyse Hamlin (DU) def. #32 Breaunna Addison/Danielle Wagland (UT) 6-1
2. Samantha Harris/Kaitlyn McCarthy (DU) vs. Neda Koprcina/Daniella Roldan (UT) 3-4, unfinished
3. #49 Chalena Scholl/Alyssa Smith (DU) def. Lana Groenvynck/Katie Poluta (UT) 6-2

Singles competition
1. #8 Breaunna Addison (UT) def. #24 Beatrice Capra (DU) 6-1, 7-5
2. #21 Kaitlyn McCarthy (DU) def. Danielle Wagland (UT) 6-3, 6-0
3. Neda Koprcina (UT) def. Chalena Scholl (DU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Samantha Harris (DU) def. Daniella Roldan (UT) 6-0, 6-2
5. Katie Poluta (UT) def. #68 Ellyse Hamlin (DU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-3
6. Christina Makarova (DU) def. Lana Groenvynck (UT) 6-3, 6-4

Match Notes:
Texas 3-3; National ranking #40
Duke 7-1; National ranking #7
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,2,1,6,5,3)
Official: Rod Realon
T-2:47 A-312

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