Duke Downs VCU, 4-0, Advances to NCAA Second Round

Friday, May 13

Durham, N.C.

1:00 PM

Duke University

VCU (First Round)

Harris Named ITA Carolina Region Rookie of the Year

Duke Downs VCU, 4-0, Advances to NCAA Second Round

5/13/2016 5:30:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score: Duke 4, VCU 0 NCAA Women's Tennis Bracket

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – The ninth-ranked Duke women's tennis team opened the 2016 NCAA Women's Tennis Championships on a strong note Friday, defeating VCU, 4-0, at home in Ambler Tennis Stadium. With the win, the Blue Devils advance to second round play, where they will face No. 24 Texas. Saturday's match is set for a noon start in Durham, N.C.

“We have to build on today, and expect that when we walk on the court, that we will be better tomorrow than we were today,” head coach Jamie Ashworth said. “We let some opportunities go where we weren't aggressive enough with our shot selections. We were more worried about making balls than taking the chance. We have to play a little bit freer and looser tomorrow. Hopefully we do that.”

The Blue Devils gained early momentum by winning the doubles point, the 18th match this year that Duke owned a 1-0 lead heading into singles. Duke improved to 17-1 on the season when taking the doubles point.

Duke's 74th-ranked tandem of sophomore Samantha Harris and freshman Kaitlyn McCarthy led the Blue Devils off the courts with a convincing 6-1 win over Olga Barshcheuskaya and Darya Berezhnaya at the No. 1 position. Harris and McCarthy stormed out to a 3-0 lead before Barshcheuskaya and Berezhnaya won their first and only game of the match. The Duke pair secured three-straight games to earn its 19th victory of the season.

The doubles point was decided on court two, as the team of juniors Chalena Scholl and Alyssa Smith registered a 6-4 win over Janina Braun and Anna Rasmussen. After Duke took a 2-0 lead, Braun and Rasmussen responded by winning back-to-back games, tying the match at 2-2. A Duke hold gave the Blue Devils a 3-2 advantage, but the Rams once again tied the score by winning a game of their own. The two sets of competitors would trade games, bringing the match to 4-4, before Scholl and Smith won the final two games to earn the win. The victory moved the Blue Devils' record to 15-9 this season and marked the first win of the year at the No. 2 position for the tandem.

With the doubles point decided, the match on court three between Duke's freshman duo of Jessica Ho and Ellyse Hamlin and VCU's pair of Magda Aubets and Yana Morar remained unfinished, with the Blue Devils leading, 5-4.

The Blue Devils would not drop a singles match against the Rams, winning the three contests necessary to clinch the victory and secure a spot in the second round of the tournament.

Ho extended her singles winning streak to seven matches and provided Duke with a 2-0 lead after defeating Berezhnaya, 6-2, 6-1, on court five. The Wexford, Pa., native sat tied with Berezhnaya in the first set, 2-2, before winning four consecutive games to claim a one set advantage. Ho's momentum carried over to the second set, where she took a commanding 4-0 lead before Berezhnaya won a game. Ho would not surrender an additional game, successfully serving out the match to move her record to 18-6 on the year and 5-0 when competing on court five.

The Blue Devils moved within a point of capturing the match with 65th-ranked Scholl's 6-4, 6-1, win over Barshcheuskaya on court one. Scholl appeared in complete control of the contest in the early stages of the first set, taking a 4-1 lead. Barshcheuskaya cut into Scholl's lead by winning back-to-back games. After the two exchanged games, bringing the score to 5-4, Scholl successfully closed out the set. Scholl asserted herself in the second set, winning five of the first six games. Scholl would require just one additional game to earn her 22nd win of the season.

“[Jessica and Chalena] felt more comfortable, the longer the matches went on,” Ashworth said. “Chalena has one of the best forehands in the country. She just has to do a good job of using it and not just getting balls in play. If she can open up and take some swings, then she can get a lot of free points. Jess played a smart match. She doesn't give away a lot of free points, and she'll have to do that again tomorrow.”

Harris, who now owns a 12-match win streak which dates back to March 18th, clinched the win for Duke by defeating Rasmussen, 6-3, 7-5, on court two.

🎾🏆@Duke_WTEN ADVANCES! The Blue Devils will face Texas in the second round tomorrow at 12PM! #GoDuke 🔵😈 pic.twitter.com/If9G9vA3eW
— Duke Athletics (@Duke_ATHLETICS) May 13, 2016

“I've had a good three weeks of practice, so that gave me a lot of confidence heading into the match,” Harris said. “I just wanted to do the things that I do well, and then execute. I think I did that pretty well today. [Rasmussen's] serve was pretty big, so I struggled with that a little bit. Once I found my rhythm on that, it made it a lot easier, and I was able to get a few big breaks.”

Neither competitor gained a significant lead over the other through the first five games, with Harris owning just a one-game advantage. With the score reading 3-2, Harris won two consecutive games, extending her lead to 5-2. Harris and Rasmussen traded games, giving Harris the first-set win. The first five games of the second set played out similarly to the first, with Harris gaining a slight 3-2 lead. Harris would win two of the next three games to once again pull within a game of earning the match, but Rasmussen took two straight games to tie the second set at 5-5. Unfazed, Harris won the final two games to post the victory and conclude the match.

“[Samantha] is using her forehand really well,” Ashworth said. “She's been working really hard in practice. She's someone that shows up every day with a purpose. She shows up to get better every day. Anytime we do anything that's optional, she's there and ready to work hard. She's made huge improvements. We're excited where she is now, and hopefully she keeps getting better and working just as hard.”

With the match decided, the contests on courts three, four and six remained unfinished. Fifty-fifth ranked McCarthy's score against Aubets sat at 2-6, 6-5, while Hamlin led Braun on four, 6-4, 4-4. Smith and Morar were beginning a third set on six, with Smith leading, 5-7, 6-3, 1-0.

Tomorrow, the Blue Devils will square off against the Longhorns for the second time this season, after Duke defeated Texas, 4-3, in Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center Feb. 21.

“Tomorrow will be a great opportunity for both of us,” Ashworth said. “Texas is going to play with a lot of emotion. When they play their best, they're very high emotionally. It comes from the coaches and works its way down. They have a great No. 1 player. One of the best players in the country. If we can come out and play some solid doubles and emotionally be at our best, then the results could take care of themselves.”

#GoDuke

#9 Duke 4, VCU 0

Singles competition
1. #65 Chalena Scholl (DU) def. Olga Barshcheuskaya (VCU) 6-4, 6-1
2. #118 Samantha Harris (DU) def. Anna Rasmussen (VCU) 6-3, 7-5
3. #55 Kaitlyn McCarthy (DU) vs. Magda Aubets (VCU) 2-6, 6-5, unfinished
4. Ellyse Hamlin (DU) vs. Janina Braun (VCU) 6-4, 4-4, unfinished
5. Jessica Ho (DU) def. Darya Berezhnaya (VCU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Alyssa Smith (DU) vs. Yana Morar (VCU) 5-7, 6-3, 1-0, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. #74 Kaitlyn McCarthy/Samantha Harris (DU) def. Olga Barshcheuskaya/Darya Berezhnaya (VCU) 6-1
2. Chalena Scholl/Alyssa Smith (DU) def. Janina Braun/Anna Rasmussen (VCU) 6-4
3. Jessica Ho/Ellyse Hamlin (DU) vs. Magda Aubets/Yana Morar (VCU) 5-4, unfinished

Match Notes:
VCU 12-10 (6-2)
Duke 19-6 (11-3); National ranking #9
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (5,1,2)
NCAA Tournament - First Round Match