No. 8 Duke Blanks NCCU; Open Season with Doubleheader Sweep

Monday, January 19

Durham, N.C.

5:00 p.m.

Duke University

North Carolina Central

Photo by: Duke Athletics

1/19/2026 8:34:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

DURHAM, N.C. — The eighth-ranked Duke women's tennis team opened the season with a pair of victories Monday as the Blue Devils defeated North Carolina Central, 4-0, following a morning, 4-1, win over the Iowa Hawkeyes. Both matches were played inside the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center.

The Blue Devils carried the first set across all six singles courts and advanced to 2-0 on the season. NCCU moved to 0-3 on the year with the loss.

How It Happened

The Blue Devils dominated the doubles competition with wins on courts one and two.
After dropping the first game, Liv Hovde and Claire An won six straight games to win the match, 6-1.
On court two, Shavit Kimchi and Eleana Yu clinched the doubles point for Duke coming back from a 0-2 deficit to win 6-4.
In singles action, freshman Aspen Schuman secured the next point for Duke as she didn't drop a single game in a win over Mariana Zottoli, 6-0, 6-0. It marked her first singles win as a Blue Devil.
Hovde, who is ranked No. 98 nationally, battled in the first set, starting down 0-2 against Valeria San Miguel Soria. Despite being broken at a key 3-3 deuce point, Hovde won the next three games to win the first set 6-4. She didn't look back carrying the second set, 6-0.
The 22nd-ranked Irina Balus registered her first clinch of the 2026 season as she won eight games in a row, defeating Alejandra Hildago Vega 6-2, 6-0.
Kimchi, An and senior Katie Codd were all leading on their courts when play was suspended.

Quotes

Some of them hadn't been put in a pressure situation since November, and for our sport that's a long time. I think it got better as the day went on. I think that we didn't play as crisp as we can play, but we can still hold ourselves to a standard." – Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth
Aspen brings a lot to us. She's vocal on the court. She's got a great personality, and it's a big ball. We expect big things from her." – Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth
"It all happened really fast for me, starting classes and the season so soon, but I think the team, the girls and the coaches have really welcomed me in, and it does feel like a family." – Duke freshman Aspen Schuman

Next Match

Duke hosts the ITA Kickoff Weekend next weekend in Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center. The Blue Devils face off against the Miami Hurricanes on Jan. 24 at 10 am. South Carolina will also take on Florida Atlantic at 1:30 p.m.

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

#GoDuke

#8 Duke 4, NCCU 0
January 19, 2026
Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center * Durham, N.C.

Doubles