Feb. 4, 2012
Site: Durham, N.C. (Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center)
Score: Duke 6, Northwestern 0
Records: NU (5-0, 0-0 Big Ten), Western Michigan (4-3, 0-0 MAC)
Next NU Event: Tuesday, February 7 -- vs. Notre Dame (Evanston, Ill.), 5:30 p.m.
DURHAM, N.C. -- No. 12 Northwestern was handed a tough task in traveling to into the den of the third-ranked Duke Blue Devils, and though they gave all they could, the 'Cats eventually fell in Durham, 6-0.
With a change in the doubles lineup, the new-look 'Cats gave the Blue Devils fits, especially at the Nos. 1 and 2 spots. After the No. 3 team of Brittany Wowchuk and Kate Turvy tested Duke's Hanna Mar and Monica Gorny, but eventually fell, 8-4. Playing at No. 1 for the first time together, Linda Abu Mushrefova and Veronica Corning battled Mary Clayton and Ester Goldfeld all the way to a 7-7 tie. With some headstrong play, the 'Cat twosome took the final two games to give Northwestern a solid win and a chance at the doubles point.
At No. 2, Nida Hamilton and Belinda Niu found themselves in a similar situation, but lost their final two games, dropping a 9-7 decision to Beatrice Capra and Rachel Kahan, giving Duke a 1-0 advantage in the team score.
The 'Cats pounced out of the gate early in the singles portion, taking four of six first sets across the board. Things slowly began to roll Duke's way, however. First Capra, the No. 7 player in the country, defeated Turvy, 6-1, 6-3, putting the Blue Devils up 2-0. Duke asserted itself in each of their second sets, forcing a third set in four of the final five matches.
At No. 5, Abu Mushrefova (3-6, 6-2, 6-3) and Corning (4-6, 6-4, 6-3) lost in succession, giving Duke the fourth team point, putting the match out of reach for the 'Cats. In a tough two-set match, Wowchuk fell to Mar, 6-4, 6-2, and Hamilton followed with a loss to Monica Turewicz, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2. Niu and Goldfeld's match at No. 3 went unfinished, but Goldfeld held the 6-2, 4-6, 3-2 advantage.
The 'Cats gear up for the ITA National Indoor Team Championship in Charlottesville, Va. starting Friday. Following the championship, NU returns home to host No. 13 Georgia Tech at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24.
Singles (Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4*, 2, 6):
1: #7 Beatrice Capra (DU) def. #26 Kate Turvy (NU) 6-1, 6-3
2: #38 Hanna Mar (DU) def. #86 Brittany Wowchuk (NU) 6-4, 6-2
3: Ester Goldfeld (DU) vs. Belinda Niu (NU) 2-6, 6-4, 2-3, unfinished
4: #117 Rachel Kahan (DU) def. Veronica Corning (NU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
5: #66 Mary Clayton (DU) def. Linda Abu Mushrefova (NU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
6: #35 Monica Turewicz (DU) def. Nida Hamilton (NU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
Doubles (Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2*):
1: Linda Abu Mushrefova/Veronica Corning (NU) def. Mary Clayton/Ester Goldfeld (DU) 9-7
2: Beatrice Capra/Rachel Kahan (DU) def. Nida Hamilton/Belinda Niu (NU) 9-7
3: Hanna Mar/Monica Gorny (DU) def. Brittany Wowchuk/Kate Turvy (NU) 8-4
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