WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

W TENNIS: Duke Loses To Second-Ranked Northwestern

Feb 24, 2008

DURHAM, N.C. – The No. 8 Duke women’s tennis team dropped its first match of the season on Sunday afternoon as the Blue Devils came up short against No. 2 Northwestern by a score of 5-2 at Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center.

Northwestern took the doubles point to go ahead 1-0, as Maria Mosolova and Alexis Conill combined for an 8-4 win over the Blue Devil freshman pair of Reka Zsilinszka and Ellah Nze at No. 3, and the 48th-ranked Wildcat duo of Suzie Matzenauer and Samantha Murray got past sophomores Elizabeth Plotkin and Jessi Robinson, 9-7, at No. 2 to clinch the point.

Action at the top doubles spot saw the sixth-ranked Duke tandem of sophomore Amanda Granson and junior Melissa Mang drop a narrow 8-7 (7-5) decision to 44th-ranked Lauren Lui and Georgia Rose.

Northwestern increased its advantage to 2-0 by way of an injury default on court four, as 38th-ranked Plotkin was forced to the bench with a 5-4 first-set lead over 42nd-ranked Lui.

Duke got within 2-1 on 13th-ranked Zslinszka’s 6-4, 6-1 triumph over 25th-ranked Murray at the No. 3 spot, but Matzenauer picked up a three-set win over Granson at the No. 6 position (6-3, 3-6, 6-0) to put the Wildcats on top, 3-1.

Fifth-ranked Mosolova then defeated sophomore Tara Iyer at the top spot, 6-4, 6-3, to clinch the win for the Wildcats.

Mang notched a win on the day with a 7-6 (10-8), 6-2 win over 69th-ranked Nazlie Ghazel at No. 5, while 16th-ranked Nze fell to third-ranked Rose, 3-6, 6-3, 10-2, at No. 2 to account for the final 5-2 score.

Duke falls to 5-1 (0-0 ACC) on the year, while Northwestern improves to 11-1 (2-0 Big Ten).

The Blue Devils will return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 27, as Duke plays its first ACC match of the season in College Park, Md., versus the Terrapins. First serve is set for 3 p.m.

Match By Match Results: No. 2 Northwestern 5, No. 8 Duke 2

Singles

1. #5 Maria Mosolova (N) def. Tara Iyer (D) 6-4, 6-3

2. #3 Georgia Rose (N) def. #16 Ellah Nze (D) 3-6, 6-3, 10-2

3. #13 Reka Zsilinszka (D) def. #25 Samantha Murray (N) 6-4, 6-1

4. #42 Lauren Lui (N) def. #38 Elizabeth Plotkin (D) 4-5 retired inj.

5. Melissa Mang (D) def. #69 Nazlie Ghazal (N) 7-6 (10-8), 6-2

6. Suzie Matzenauer (N) def. Amanda Granson (D) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0

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

Doubles

1. #44 L. Lui/G.Rose (N) def. #6 M. Mang/A. Granson (D) 8-7 (7-5)

2. #48 S. Matzenauer/S. Murray (N) def. E. Plotkin/Jessi Robinson (D) 9-7

3. M. Mosolova/Alexis Conill (N) def. R. Zsilinszka/E. Nze (D) 8-4

Order of finish: 3,2*,1

Match Notes

Team Records: Duke (5-1, 0-0 ACC), Northwestern (11-1, 2-0 Big Ten)