Duke Upsets Eight-ranked Georgia Tech, 4-3, In Women's Tennis

Saturday, April 16

Atlanta, Ga.

TBA

Duke University

Georgia Tech

Duke Upsets Eight-ranked Georgia Tech, 4-3, In Women's Tennis

4/16/2005 1:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

April 16, 2005

ATLANTA, GA.--In a time where the Blue Devils needed a victory after losing the past two matches in a row, the 16th-ranked Duke women's tennis team netted a 4-3 win at eighth-ranked Georgia Tech on Saturday at the Bill Moore Tennis Center in Atlanta, Ga.

"We really needed a win like this," said Duke Head Coach Jamie Ashworth. "Georgia Tech is ranked in the top-10 in the nation and top in the ACC. I told them if we execute and finish we can win. That is what happened today."

The Blue Devils improved to 14-6 overall, 5-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), while the Yellow Jackets suffered their first league loss dropping them to 15-3, 8-1.

A match after registering the biggest dual singles victory of her career, sophomore Parker Goyer collected an even better win on Saturday as she knocked off Whitney McCray at the No. 6 slot, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4, to clinch the win for the Blue Devils. Goyer, a native of Birmingham, Ala., walked on to the squad last season as a freshman and is making her presence felt as she improves to 9-3 overall and 3-0 in ACC action.

"I didn't realize that the score was tied, 3-3, until I was up 4-3 in the third set," said Goyer. "I had 4-5 match points until I finally won, but it was great to get the victory. It is hard to believe that I am in this situation and I am going to take advantage of this opportunity. I didn't have all that great of rhythm today, but I fought for every ball."

The Yellow Jackets took a 1-0 match lead when Lyndsay Shosho and Dasha Potapova won, 7-5, in a tiebreaker at No. 2 doubles to help Georgia Tech capture the doubles point against Duke's Tory Zawacki and Clelia Deltour, 9-8 (5).

"Even though we lost the doubles point, I don't think it fazed them because we have lost so many doubles points this season," said Ashworth. "They knew after the UNC match if we fight to the end we can win."

Tech's Kelly Anderson and Whitney McCray earned the first doubles victory on the afternoon, defeating the Blue Devil's combo of Saras Arasu and Parker Goyer, 8-5, at the No. 3 position before Duke's Kristin Cargill and Jackie Carleton downed No. 15 Kristi Miller and Alison Silverio, 8-6, setting up Shosho and Potapova for the clinching doubles match.

Duke tied the score at 1-1 with a 6-3, 6-4 win by Zawacki at No. 5 singles before Potapova gave the Yellow Jackets a 2-1 edge with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Arasu in the No. 2 slot. A 6-7, 6-1, 6-1 win by Duke's Deltour tied the match at 2-2 before the Blue Devils took a 3-2 match lead with a three-set victory by Cargill at No. 4 singles. Deltour, a freshman from Savigny sur Orge, France, improved to 28-10 overall and 7-2 in ACC play.

No. 14 Kristi Miller won an 8-6 tiebreaker in her second set against No. 111 Jackie Carleton at the top singles slot to win 7-5, 7-6 (6) and tie the match at 3-3, setting up No. 6 singles as the ending match on the afternoon.

"We competed much better today in doubles and had three match-points to win the doubles point," said Ashworth. "I told them if it takes five hours to finish the singles play, so be it. We had to fight for every point and being a team has paid off."

Duke will continue its road trip as the Blue Devils travel to 14th-ranked Clemson on Sunday for a 2:30 p.m. contest in Clemson, S.C.

"Parker has always asked for an opportunity and the North Carolina match gave her confidence," said Ashworth. "She had never been in this type of position before to be able to clinch the match. Parker was aggressive and did a good job after being in a hard position."

Tennis Match Results
Duke vs Georgia Tech
Apr 16, 2005 at Atlanta, Ga.

#16 Duke 4, #8 Georgia Tech 3

Singles competition:
1. #14 Kristi Miller (GT) def. #111 Jackie Carleton (DU) 7-5, 7-6 (8-6)
2. Dasha Potapova (GT) def. Saras Arasu (DU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Clelia Deltour (DU) def. Kelly Anderson (GT) 6-7, 6-1, 6-1
4. Kristin Cargill (DU) def. Alison Silverio (GT) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
5. Tory Zawacki (DU) def. Lyndsay Shosho (GT) 6-3, 6-4
6. Parker Goyer (DU) def. Whitney McCray (GT) 7-5, 5-7, 6-4

Doubles competition:
1. Kristin Cargill/Jackie Carleton (DU) def. #15 Kristi Miller/Alison Silverio (GT) 8-6
2. Dasha Potapova/Lyndsay Shosho (GT) def. Tory Zawacki/Clelia Deltour (DU) 9-8 (7-5)
3. Kelly Anderson/Whitney McCray (GT) def. Saras Arasu/Parker Goyer (DU) 8-5

Match Notes:
Duke 14-6, 5-4 ACC; National ranking #16
Georgia Tech 15-3, 8-1 ACC, 15-3,; National ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (5,2,3,4,1,6)