North Carolina
Duke
No. 3 Tar Heels Fall To No. 4 Duke, 4-3
April 6, 2011 | Women's Tennis
April 6, 2011
CHAPEL HILL --- No. 3 North Carolina got singles wins from Zoe De Bruycker, Jelena Durisic and Tessa Lyons but the Tar Heels came up just short, falling to No. 4 Duke, 4-3, Wednesday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. Duke won the doubles point and got the necessary three singles wins to hold off UNC, who lost for the first time in 19 Atlantic Coast Conference matches dating back to last season.
Duke (18-2, 7-0 ACC) got what would prove to be the deciding point with doubles wins on courts two and three. UNC got the first win of the day at No. 1, as No. 6 Shinann Featherston and Lauren McHale made quick work of No. 71 Ellah Nze and Rachel Kahan, 8-3. But wins from Nadine Fahoum and Hanna Mar on court two and No. 72 Mary Clayton and Monica Gorny on court three gave the crucial first point to the Blue Devils.
Carolina (18-4, 7-1 ACC) pulled even early in singles, thanks to an impressive showing at the top of the lineup. No. 15 De Bruycker won a tight opening set before pulling away in the second, 6-3, 6-2, against No. 45 Fahoum.
UNC briefly moved ahead through Tessa Lyons' 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 win over No. 64 Clayton at No. 6 before No. 72 Kahan outlasted No. 125 McHale on court five, 7-6, 6-2.
Carolina took its final lead of the day next, as Durisic shook off a slow start to storm past No. 77 Nze, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, on court two.
Duke made it 3-3 at No. 4, as No. 59 Elizabeth Plotkin outlasted Gina Suarez-Malaguti in three sets, 7-5, 1-6, 6-2, setting up a dramatic finish on court three.
No. 81 Featherston got off to a hot start against No. 13 Reka Zsilinszka, winning the first two games at love and cruising to a 6-3 win in the opening set. Zsilinskza then evened the match at a set all with a 6-2 win to force a third and deciding set.
The Duke senior opened up a 3-1 lead before Featherston got the break back at 2-3. What followed was a lengthy game that ultimately ended in a hold for Featherston and 3-all, but the energy exerted in the game would take a toll on the Rockaway Park, N.Y., junior.
After Zsilinszka held to make it 4-3, Featherston called for a medical timeout to receive treatment for cramping. Featherston was unable to fully recover, however, and pulled up on break point in the following game. Barely able to walk, Featherston did manage to hit several winners in the final game of the match, but ultimately succombed to Zsilinszka, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Carolina faces a quick turnaround, as the Tar Heels host Georgia Tech and Clemson in their final home weekend Saturday and Sunday. First serve for Saturday's match with Georgia Tech is set for 11 a.m.
No. 4 Duke 4, No. 3 North Carolina 3
Doubles
1. #6 Featherston/McHale (UNC) def. #71 Nze/Kahan (DU), 8-3
2. Fahoum/Mar (DU) def. Durisic/Stone (UNC), 8-5
3. #72 Clayton/Gorny (DU) def. Suarez-Malaguti/De Bruycker (UNC), 8-3
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2*
Singles
1. #15 Zoe De Bruycker (UNC) def. #45 Nadine Fahoum (DU), 6-3, 6-2
2. Jelena Durisic (UNC) def. #77 Ellah Nze (DU), 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
3. #13 Reka Zsilinszka (DU) def. #81 Shinann Featherston (UNC), 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
4. #59 Elizabeth Plotkin (DU) def. Gina Suarez-Malaguti (UNC), 7-5, 1-6, 6-2
5. #72 Rachel Kahan (DU) def. #125 Lauren McHale (UNC), 7-6, 6-2
6. Tessa Lyons (UNC) def. #64 Mary Clayton (DU), 6-4, 0-6, 6-2
Order of finish: 1, 6, 5, 2, 4, 3
Players Mentioned
