Blue Devils Fall in NCAA Quarterfinals, 4-1, to Top-Ranked Georgia

Thursday, May 15

Waco, Texas

11 a.m.

Duke University

Georgia

Photo by: Bri Shaw, Duke Athletics

Blue Devils Fall in NCAA Quarterfinals, 4-1, to Top-Ranked Georgia

5/15/2025 3:38:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

WACO, Texas – The eighth-ranked Duke women's tennis team had its season come to a close Thursday as the Blue Devils dropped a 4-1 decision to top-ranked Georgia in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship at the Hurd Tennis Center in Waco, Texas.

The Blue Devils had a tremendous start to the match, taking a 1-0 lead as Duke won the doubles point. It marked only the fourth time all season Georgia dropped the doubles point. The Bulldogs, however, were too tough in singles. Duke concluded the season with a 24-4 ledger, while Georgia improved to 27-3.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Duke won the coin flip on all three doubles courts and opened with the serve.The Blue Devils won the first game on the second and third courts, while dropping a deuce point on court one.
The Blue Devils fell behind on court one, 2-0, but then cut into the lead, 2-1.Duke's 20th-ranked Irina Balus and Ellie Coleman then dropped a key deuce point after leading, 40-15, to fall behind, 3-1.The Blue Devils came back to cut the Georgia advantage to 3-2 as they didn't drop a point.The Bulldogs pulled ahead and won, 6-2.
On court three, Duke's Liv Hovde and Emma Jackson continued their outstanding season with a 6-4 victory over Hayden Mulberry and Aysegul Mert.After going ahead, 1-0, Duke led 2-1 as Jackson held serve.The Blue Devils broke Georgia for the first time to go ahead, 4-2, but the Bulldogs came back to level the score, 4-4.Hovde held serve to put the Blue Devils ahead, 5-4 and then Duke broke Georgia to take the match.
The doubles point came down to court two with Shavit Kimchi and Eleana Yu against Georgia's Hayden Mulberry and Aysegul Mert.Duke led 1-0, but dropped the next two games to fall behind, 2-1.The Blue Devils broke Georgia and then came back from being down 40-15 to go ahead 3-2.Georgia evened the score, 3-3, but Yu held serve to give Duke a 4-3 lead.After the Bulldogs evened the score, 4-4, Kimchi held serve and Duke broke the Bulldogs on a key deuce point to clinch the doubles point, 6-4.
Georgia came out strong to start singles action, taking the first sets on all six courts, which was a first for the Blue Devils this season.
The Bulldogs got on the board for the first time on court five as 74th-ranked Grant totaled a 6-1, 6-3 win over 95th-ranked Kimchi.
Georgia then took its first lead, 2-1, as 17th-ranked Lopata posted a 6-1, 6-1 win on court two versus Duke's 26th-ranked Balus.
On court one, 61st-ranked Hovde was battling second-ranked Vidmanova, but dropped a 6-4, 6-2 decision to give Georgia a 3-1 lead.
The match was decided on court four as 42nd-ranked Mert registered a 6-3, 6-1 win over Duke's 72nd-ranked Yu.
Duke's pair of seniors – Jackson and Coleman – had their matches go unfinished.
On court three, 25th-ranked Jackson battled back in the second set to win 6-2 and was heading to a third set with Reacso when the match was decided.On court six, 98th-ranked Coleman was trailing Rojas, 4-6 3-4.

NOTES

Georgia dropped the doubles point for only the fourth time this season.
Shavit Kimchi and Eleana Yu improved to 5-1 on the season playing together in doubles and 3-0 in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The duo totaled their second-straight ranked win of their career together.
Duke's doubles duo of Emma Jackson and Liv Hovde won their 16th-straight match to finish 17-1 on the year.The Blue Devils totaled a 9-0 record at home this season.

QUOTES

"Yeah, I thought in the big moments in the doubles, we played better than they did. It was great to see.We have worked so hard on our doubles. The last two matches with a really good Auburn team and a really good Georgia team – to win those doubles points, there's some satisfaction knowing that you've put the right work in and you've done the right things. That was great to see. We couldn't put them in a position to feel any pressure in singles. I thought the individual matches had to be a little bit closer.We had to let them feel pressure and we never gave ourselves that opportunity. They did an unbelievable job of coming out after losing the doubles point - not letting it faze them - just playing free and playing to win. Hats off to them. It's a credit to them where they are. We honestly haven't been beat like that in singles in a long time. They just came out and took it to us." - Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth
"We did a really good job of handling ourselves when faced with adversity.Early in the year after losing to Ohio State, a little bit later in the year after losing to Virginia in the ACC Tournament.I am proud of how we handled ourselves in those situations. I thought we got better as the year went on. I wish we had another match with these guys, because I feel like again, when we've been in those situations, we've kind of excelled in the next match. Ellie and Emma have been great for us.It's going to be hard to see them go.We're never going to be able to replace what they've done for us. As a whole, I feel like our program is where it needs to be. We need to be at the final site. We need to be giving ourselves a chance to play for national championships. This team put us back in that position, a position we haven't been in the last couple years. I am obviously disappointed with the result today, but proud of where we are with our program." - Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth on looking back at the successful season

WHAT IS NEXT

Duke concludes its season with a 24-4 record and say goodbye to a pair of seniors – Emma Jackson and Ellie Coleman.The Blue Devils will return a great nucleolus for 2025-26 though with four starters coming back, including four ranked student-athletes.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".

#GoDuke

#1 Georgia 4, #8 Duke 1
May 15, 2025
Hurt Tennis Center * Waco, Texas

Doubles
1. #1 Darja Vidmanova/Mell Reasco (UGA) def. #20 Irina Balus/Ellie Coleman (DUKE) 6-2
2. Shavit Kimchi/Eleana Yu (DUKE) def. #68 Guillermina Grant/Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) 6-4
3. Liv Hovde/Emma Jackson (DUKE) def. Hayden Mulberry/Aysegul Mert (UGA) 6-4

Singles
1. #2 Darja Vidmanova (UGA) def. #61 Liv Hovde (DUKE) 6-4, 6-2
2. #17 Anastasiia Lopata (UGA) def. #26 Irina Balus (DUKE) 6-1, 6-1
3. #25 Emma Jackson (DUKE) vs. Mell Reasco (UGA) 4-6, 6-2 unfinished
4. #42 Aysegul Mert (UGA) def. #72 Eleana Yu (DUKE) 6-3, 6-1
5. #74 Guillermina Grant (UGA) def. #95 Shavit Kimchi (DUKE) 6-1, 6-3
6. #98 Ellie Coleman (DUKE) vs. Sofia Rojas (UGA) 4-6, 3-4 unfinished
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,3,2*), Singles (5,2,1,4*)