Zsilinszka Upsets Top-Ranked Mosolova

Friday, November 6

Chapel Hill, N.C.

All Day

Duke University

Day One

Women's Tennis Kicks Off Fall Season at Wake Forest

Zsilinszka Upsets Top-Ranked Mosolova

11/7/2009 10:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

WEST HAVEN, Conn./CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--Duke University's Reka Zsilinszka continued her run through the ITA National Team Indoor Championship today with a pair of wins in the singles consolation bracket. Zsilinszka garnered victories in the quarterfinal and semifinal to earn a spot in the championship match on Nov. 8. The Blue Devils also posted an impressive first two days at the annual Kitty Harrison Invitational hosted by North Carolina.

"It's been a great last weekend of our fall season," head coach Jamie Ashworth said. "Hopefully we can continue our solid play for another day and end the tournament play for this semester on a great note. Reka [Zsilinszka's] win against No. 1 Maria Mosolova from Northwestern should give her a lot of confidence. She has a tough match tomorrow but has gotten progressively better as the fall has gone on."

Zsilinszka registered her second and third consecutive wins today to advance to the title match. Coming off of a straight set victory in the first round, the Fayetteville, N.C., native cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Yale's Stephanie Kent in the quarterfinal. Taking on the nation's top-ranked player in Northwestern's Maria Mosolova in the quarterfinal, Zsilinszka was outstanding in a convincing 6-4, 6-0 win.

Zsilinszka and Mosolova previously battled in the NCAA Individual Singles Tournament quarterfinal with Mosolova fighting her way to a three-set victory. She will take on No. 3 Laura Vallverdu of Miami in the title match.

"At the Kitty Harrison Invitational, I've been most impressed by our doubles play," Ashworth. "We are learning how to grind out matches and are doing a good job executing things we have worked on in practice. In singles tomorrow I am hoping that Amanda [Granson], Liz [Plotkin], and Ellah [Nze] will all come out and play aggressive tennis as they have done most of the weekend."

Duke's Amanda Granson, Ellah Nze and Elizabeth Plotkin all were in action at the Kitty Harrison Invitational on Nov. 6-7. The opening day saw Granson capture a pair of singles wins, including coming from behind against Sasha Krupina of Georgia Tech.

Nze was equally impressive on day one, garnering two victories. Nze also registered a strong comeback win against Georgia Tech's Lynn Blau to remain unbeaten on the first day. Plotkin went 1-1 in the opening day of singles play.

In doubles action, Granson and Nze teamed up to defeat the pair from TCU, 8-3.

Day two at the Kitty Harrison Invite provided more exciting results for the Blue Devils. Granson added another win against TCU to move to 3-0 in singles play on the weekend, while Plotkin fought her way to a 6-4, 7-6 victory to push her record to 2-1. Nze suffered her first loss of the weekend against the Horned Frogs.

The second day of doubles was outstanding as Nze paired up with two different teammates for a couple of victories. The duo of Nze and Plotkin garnered the first win of day two, running past a tandem from Minnesota. Nze next joined forces with Granson to outlast the Hokies 9-7.

ITA National Indoor Championship

Singles consolation quarterfinal

No. 13 Reka Zsilinszka (D) def. Stephanie Kent (Yale) 6-3, 6-3

Singles consolation semifinal

No. 13 Zsilinszka (D) def. No. 1 Maria Mosolova (N), 6-4, 6-0

Kitty Harrison Invitational Day 1

Doubles

Granson/Nze (D) def. Duncan/Tuohimaa (TCU), 8-3

Singles vs. University of Florida

No. 57 Granson (D) def. No. 33 Revzina (UF), 6-3, 6-4

Embree (UF) def. Plotkin (D), 6-4, 6-4

Nze (D) def. Bartlett (UF), 6-0, 6-1