Virginia Women's Tennis Falls to Duke in ACC Quarterfinals

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ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. The Virginia women’s tennis team run at the 2008 ACC Tournament came to an end Friday with a 4-1 quarterfinal loss to Duke at Sanlando Park. The Cavaliers fall to 10-13 overall with the loss.

The Blue Devils opened the match by winning a close doubles point. Ellah Nze and Reka Zsilinszka gave Duke an advantage with an 8-4 win over Hampton Williams (Raleigh, N.C.) and Lara Alexander (London, England) at No. 3 doubles. Virginia drew even at the No. 2 position where Jennifer Stevens (Miami, Fla.) and Amanda Rales (Bethesda, Md.) topped Jessi Robinson and Tory Zawacki 8-5. At No. 1 doubles, Duke clinched the opening point and Amanda Granson and Melissa Mang topped Lindsey Pereira (Arlington, Texas) and Maggie Yahner (Las Vegas, Nev.) 8-5.

In singles, Duke extended their lead to 2-0 as Tara Iyer defeated Rales 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1 singles. Virginia cut the lead in half a Stevens posted one of the biggest wins of her career, upsetting No. 19 Nze 6-4, 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Mang defeated Yahner 6-4, 6-4 at No. 4 singles and Granson downed Alexander 7-5, 6-2 at No. 5 singles to clinch the match for the Blue Devils.

Virginia will now await the announcement of the NCAA Tournament field of 64 on April 29.

No. 9 Duke 4, No. 53 Virginia 1

Doubles:
1. #4 Mang/Granson (Duke) def. #37 Pereira/Yahner (UVa) 8-5
2. Rales/Stevens (UVa) def. Zawacki/Robinson (Duke) 8-5
3. Nze/Zsilinszka (Duke) def. Alexander/Williams (UVa) 8-4

Singles:
1. Tara Iyer (Duke) def. Amanda Rales (UVa) 6-1, 6-2
2. #119 Jennifer Stevens (UVa) def. #19 Ellah Nze (Duke) 6-4, 6-1
3. #21 Reka Zsilinszka (Duke) led Lindsey Pereira (UVa) 6-1, 5-5 DNF
4. Melissa Mang (Duke) def. Maggie Yahner (UVa) 6-4, 6-4
5. Amanda Granson (Duke) def. Lara Alexander (UVa) 7-5, 6-2
6. Cathy Nimitz (Uva) vs. Jessi Robinson (Duke) 6-7, 6-2 DNF

Order of Finish: Doubles- 3,2,1 Singles- 1,2,4,5