No. 3 Duke Defeats Virginia in NCAA Second Round

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DURHAM, N.C. – The No. 27 Virginia women’s tennis team was defeated 4-1 by third-ranked Duke in the second round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament Saturday at Ambler Tennis Stadium in Durham, N.C. Lindsey Hardenbergh (Fairfax Station, Va.) recorded the lone point for the Cavaliers with a win at No. 4 singles.

“Overall it was as well as we have played against Duke,” Virginia coach Mark Guilbeau said following the match. “Duke is a really good team. Our kids really fought hard and the final score was 4-1 but we were really close. We were in those last three matches and we were in doubles so I think progress was made.”

The Cavaliers conclude the season with an overall record of 14-10 and reached the national tournament for the 10th time in program history.

Duke (24-3), meanwhile, advances to the Round of 16 in College Station, Texas.

“We need to do a better job at surviving those though parts of the season,” Guilbeau continued. “When you get in this environment, this is as tough as it gets. Duke could win the national championship and we’re still good enough to give them a great run. We want to be in a better position in the future but that being said, we played them as well as we could have and maybe as well as any team in the country plays them. I give the kids a lot of credit for today.”

The Blue Devils took the doubles point winning two of out of three matches. At No. 3 doubles, Duke’s Ellah Nze and Reka Zsilinszka earned an 8-4 victory over Virginia’s Emily Fraser (Rye, N.Y.) and Hardenbergh.

After Cavaliers Claire Bartlett (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Jennifer Stevens (Miami, Fla.) won the second doubles match, 8-4, over 53rd ranked Jessi Robinson and Mallory Cecil, the doubles point came down to No. 1. Duke’s Amanda Granson and Melissa Mang defeated UVa’s Amanda Rales (Bethesda, Md.) and Maggie Yahner (Las Vegas, Nev.) 8-6.

In singles, Hardenbergh picked up Virginia’s lone point with the win over No. 91 Amanda Granson.

No. 3 Duke 4, No. 27 Virginia 1

Doubles
1. #22 Amanda Granson/Melissa Mang (Duke) def. Amanda Rales/Maggie Yahner (UVa) 8-6
2. Claire Bartlett/Jennifer Stevens (UVa) def. No. 53 Jessi Robinson/Mallory Cecil (Duke) 8-4
3. Ellah Nze/Reka Zsilinszka (Duke) def. Emily Fraser/Lindsey Hardenbergh (UVa) 8-4

Order of finish: 3, 2, 1

Singles
1. #6 Mallory Cecil (Duke) def. #80 Emily Fraser (UVa) 6-1, 6-2
2. #100 Jennifer Stevens (UVa ) led #37 Ellah Nze (Duke) 6-4, 5-5 DNF
3. #30 Reka Zsilinszka (Duke) led Amanda Rales (UVa) 6-2, 5-3 DNF
4. Lindsey Hardenbergh (UVa) def. No. 91 Amanda Granson (Duke) 6-0, 6-2
5. #122 Melissa Mang (Duke) def. Claire Bartlett (UVa) 6-3, 6-2
6. Jessi Robinson (Duke) def. Maggie Yahner (UVa) 6-0, 7-5

Order of finish: 4, 1, 6, 5