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W TENNIS: Blue Devils Cruise To 6-1 Win Over Princeton

Feb 22, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — DURHAM, N.C. - The eighth-ranked Duke women's tennis team remains perfect on the year as the Blue Devils secured a 6-1 win over 72nd-ranked Princeton on Friday night.

Duke won all three of the doubles matches to go ahead 1-0 early, as senior Tory Zawacki and sophomore Amanda Granson posted an 8-4 triumph over Ivana King and Rebecca Parks at No. 3. Freshman Reka Zsilinszka and sophomore Elizabeth Plotkin defeated Sarah Hoffman and Sarah Huah, 8-4, at No. 3 to clinch the point for the Blue Devils.

At No. 2, junior Melissa Mang and sophomore Jessi Robinson combined for an 8-4 win over Taylor Marable and Melissa Saiontz. Singles action saw 13th-ranked Zsilinszka defeat Parks, 6-4, 6-1, at the No. 3 position to put the Blue Devils ahead, 2-0. Robinson picked up a two-set win over Huah (6-0, 6-4) at the No. 5 position to increase Duke's advantage to 3-0.

Zawacki then clinched a Duke win with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph over Hoffman at No. 6.

Plotkin, ranked 38th in the nation, picked up a win on the night as she defeated King, 6-3, 7-5, at No. 2, while 16th-ranked freshman Ellah Nze also notched a victory with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 win over Saiontz at No. 1.

Mang dropped a tight 6-3, 5-7, 10-7 decision to Marable at the No. 4 position to account for the final 6-1 score.

With the win Duke improves to 5-0 (0-0 ACC) while Princeton falls to 5-3 (0-0 Ivy).

Duke will return to action on Sunday, Feb. 24, as No. 8 Duke hosts No. 2 Northwestern at 12 noon.

Match By Match Results: No. 8 Duke 6, No. 72 Princeton 1

Singles

1. #16 Ellah Nze (D) def. Melissa Saiontz (P) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1

2. #38 Elizabeth Plotkin (D) def. Ivana King (P) 6-3, 7-5

3. #13 Reka Zsilinszka (D) def. Rebecca Parks (P) 6-4, 6-1

4. Taylor Marable (P) def. Melissa Mang (D) 6-3, 5-7, 10-7

5. Jessi Robinson (D) def. Sarah Huah (P) 6-0, 6-4

6. Tory Zawacki (D) def. Sarah Hoffman (P) 6-3, 6-3

Order of finish: 3,5,6*,2,4,1

Doubles

1. R. Zsilinszka/E. Plotkin (D) def. S. Hoffman/S. Huah (P) 8-4

2. M. Mang/J. Robinson (D) def. T. Marable/M. Saiontz (P) 8-4

3. T. Zawacki/Amanda Granson (D) def. I. King/R. Parks (P) 8-4

Order of finish: 3,1*2

Match Notes

Team Records: Duke (5-0, 0-0 ACC), Princeton (5-3, 0-0 Ivy)