Women's Tennis Silences Tigers, 7-0

Tuesday, January 19

Durham, N.C.

3:00 p.m.

Duke University

Memphis

Women's Tennis Silences Tigers, 7-0

1/19/2010 7:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C.-The Duke University women's tennis team turned in a dominating performance in its 2010 season opener, defeating Memphis 7-0 at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center. The top-ranked Blue Devils sacrificed just 16 games in the nine matches played.

The Blue Devils kicked off the match by cruising to three wins in doubles for the 1-0 lead. Duke featured three new doubles teams in the lineup with senior Amanda Granson and junior Ellah Nze leading the way at No. 1 with an 8-3 victory.

The first doubles pair off the court was the tandem of senior Elizabeth Plotkin and freshman Jessica Stiles at No. 2. They quickly dispatched the Tigers 8-2, while freshman Mary Clayton and sophomore Monica Gorny came away with the 8-3 win to clinch the point.

Duke carried that momentum right into singles play as it rattled off the first 20-plus wins in the singles matches. Ranked 63rd in the nation, Gorny wasted little time as she raced past Memphis's Kelly Gray 6-1, 6-0 to get off the court first. Clayton followed suit as she registered her first collegiate singles win, 6-0, 6-1.

"After the little talk we had after doubles we came out and won the first 28 games I think in singles," head coach Jamie Ashworth said. "Hopefully they realized they have to put that kind of emotion in all the time. I told them I want to hear them yelling back and forth. They did a good job of that in singles."

Headlining Duke in singles play overall was the return of Plotkin to the lineup. The San Francisco native suited up in her first dual match since 2007 and battled her way to the 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Ashley Murdock.

"Getting her back in a dual match is big for our team," Ashworth said. "She's played such a big role off the court the last two years and that's a tough role to be in. To get her back on the court is such a big thing for her and for us. We're going to have to rely on her a lot to play the best she can and win a lot of matches for us."

"It was an amazing feeling," Plotkin said. "I was obviously really nervous but I was just so excited to be out there with everyone because for two seasons I was watching everyone play and I would do absolutely anything to be out there and I finally had the opportunity to do so."

Plotkin raced out to the early lead before dropping a couple games to Murdock. The Blue Devil veteran quickly regained her composure to take the final two games to put away the first set 6-3.

"I played a couple loose games and she played a little better, but I just stayed focused and confident and I knew my hard work would pay off if I played well and stuck to my game plan," Plotkin said.

Also not missing a beat in her first collegiate match was rookie Jessica Stiles. She did not drop a single game at No. 6 singles to earn the 6-0, 6-0 win over Andrea Arques-Garcia to clinch the victory for the Blue Devils.

Ranked 80th Granson rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 3, while Nze put up the same score at No. 2.

Duke returns to action on Jan. 22, hosting Old Dominion at 6 p.m., at the Sheffield Tennis Center.

#1 Duke 7, Memphis 0
Jan 19, 2010 at Durham, N.C. (Sheffield Tennis Center)

Singles competition

1. Elizabeth Plotkin (DU) def. Ashley Murdock (MEMPHIS) 6-3, 6-1

2. #91 Ellah Nze (DU) def. Courtney Collins (MEMPHIS) 6-0, 6-1

3. #80 Amanda Granson (DU) def. Marjorie Ondeck (MEMPHIS) 6-0, 6-1

4. Mary Clayton (DU) def. Amanda Brown (MEMPHIS) 6-0, 6-1

5. #63 Monica Gorny (DU) def. Kelly Gray (MEMPHIS) 6-1, 6-0

6. Jessica Stiles (DU) def. Andrea Arques-Garcia (MEMPHIS) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. Amanda Granson/Ellah Nze (DU) def. Ashley Murdock/Courtney Collins (MEMPHIS) 8-3