Duke Downs Clemson 4-0 in NCAA Men’s Tennis

May 16, 1999

CLEMSON, S.C. – Second-ranked Duke won all but one set on Sunday and defeated Clemson 4-0 in the second round of the NCAA men’s tennis tournament at Clemson’s Hoke Sloan Tennis Center. The Blue Devils now move on to the NCAA Final 16 at Athens, GA May 22-26. It is the sixth time in the last seven years that Duke has made the round of 16.

Clemson ended its season with a 21-12 record. It was Clemson’s 18th appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Head Coach Chuck Kriese. Duke had won the earlier meeting between the two teams this year, 6-1. Clemson’s only win that day was a singles victory by Tomasz Boniecki, who missed Sunday’s singles match with a knee injury.

Duke improved to 24-4 overall and has now won 18 consecutive matches. Duke won both of its matches in the NCAA Tournament by 4-0 scores after winning the ACC Tournament by a combined score of 12-1 in recording wins over NC State, Virginia and Georgia Tech. Only one of the last 12 Duke opponents has scored more than one point against Jay Lapidus’s club.

Duke began the day by winning the doubles point. Doug Root and Pedro Escudero defeated Clemson’s Luis Garcia and Tomasz Boniecki, 8-1 in just 35 minutes at the number-two doubles match. Duke then clinched the doubles point when Porter Jones and Ramsey Smith defeated Clemson’s Josh Goffi and Marco Gojanovic, 8-3. It was the second straight day that Smith and Jones had been successful and they are now 7-1 together this season.

Duke won the opening set in five of the six singles matches, but Clemson was competitive. Two of the first sets were Duke victories that were decided in tie-breakers, while Clemson’s Luis Garcia defeated Duke’s Ramsey Smith in the opening set, 6-4.

But, Duke needed just three singles victories to close out the team match. At number-one singles, Dmitry Muzyka defeated Clemson’s Josh Goffi, 6-3, 6-3. At number-three Pedro Escudero downed Clemson’s Pablo Bellagamba, 6-4, 6-1.

Andres Pedroso, who was not in Duke’s deep lineup in the win over Charleston Southern on Saturday, defeated Clemson sophomore Brad Emendorfer, 6-3, 6-4 at number-five singles. Emendorfer, who had gained a victory in Clemson’s win over William & Mary on Saturday, battled Pedroso to five deuce points in the last game before losing.

When Pedroso claimed the victory and the decisive fourth team point, the other three matches were cancelled, according to NCAA rules.

NCAA Men’s Tennis Tournament 2nd round At Clemson, SC

Duke 4, Clemson 0

Singles

#1  Dmitry Muzyka (D) d. Josh Goffi (C)         6-3, 6-3#2  Doug Root (D) vs. Ryan Bauer (C)                 DNF#3  Pedro Escudero (D) d. Pablo Bellagamba (C)  6-4, 6-1#4  Ramsey Smith (D) vs. Luis Garcia (C)             DNF#5  Andres Pedroso (D) d. Brad Emendorfer (C)   6-3, 6-4#6  Porter Jones (D) vs. Joey Hopke (C)              DNF

Doubles

#1  Wile-Muzyka (D) vs. Bellagamba-Bauer (C)        DNF#2  Root-Escudero (D) d. Garcia-Boniecki (C)        8-1#3  Smith-Jones (D) d.  Goffi-Gojanovic (C)         8-3

Duke Coach Jay Lapidus “We played well in doubles, probably the best all year. We were solid at every position today and I think the doubles performance set the tone.

“Clemson did a good job and kept fighting. We give credit to Coach Kriese and his program. But, we are a very deep team this year. I am excited to see what we can do against the other great teams in the country.

Ever since Ramsey Smith has come back from his injury we have not lost (18 wins in a row). He has made a big difference to our team this year. I am pleased with the team, they are great guys and are unselfish. We look forward to going to Athens.”

Clemson Coach Chuck Kriese “In doubles, we did not play well at all. However, I am proud of the way we rallied and fought back. Duke is a very good team and we are hoping they do some damage at the NCAAs in Athens. They are a classy team we wish them well.

“I am really proud of my guys. We have had a good season.”