No. 11 Clemson Takes Tough Loss at No. 4 Duke

April 9, 2011

DURHAM, NC – The 11th-ranked Clemson women’s tennis team fell to No. 4 Duke (19-2, 8-0 ACC) in Durham by a 6-1 margin on Saturday. It was the Tigers’ (17-7, 5-3 ACC) second of three matches in five days against top ten teams. Clemson plays at No. 3 North Carolina on Sunday at 1:00 pm.

The Tigers played well in doubles, but couldn’t close it out. Laurianne Henry took a 9-7 loss to No. 71 Mary Clayton and Monica Gorny at flight three in what turned out to be the deciding match.

The nation’s top duo of Keri Wong and Josipa Bek took care of Rachel Kahan and Ellah Nze, 8-6 at the top flight after the point was decided with the flight three win.

Duke, who features a nation-best six players ranked among the nation’s top 77, played solid tennis en route to winning five of six singles matches.

Wong’s win over No. 77 Ellah Nze, a 6-4, 7-6 (7) decision was the final match to finish. 10th-ranked Josipa Bek fell, 2-6, 6-0, 6-0 to No. 45 Nadine Fahoum, snapping an eight-match winning streak.

Masha Belaya also had her seven-match streak broken by No. 64 Clayton.

Clemson has just three matches left until the ACC Tournament with No. 3 North Carolina on Sunday, and Virginia and Virginia Tech in Clemson on April 16 and 17.

The ACC Tournament, held in Cary, NC, takes place from April 21-24.

Complete Results No. 4 Duke (19-2, 8-0 ACC) def. No. 11 Clemson (17-7, 5-3 ACC), 6-1 April 9, 2011 – Ambler Stadium – Durham, NC Doubles: 1. #1 Bek/Wong (CU) def. #71 Kahan/Nze (DU), 8-6 2. Fahoum/Mar (DU) def. Belaya/Magnusson (CU), 8-4 3. #72 Clayton/Gorny (DU) def. Ciolkowski/Henry (CU), 9-7 Order of Finish: 2,3,1 Singles: 1. #45 Nadine Fahoum (DU) def. #10 Josipa Bek (CU), 2-6, 6-0, 6-0 2. #51 Keri Wong (CU) def. #77 Ellah Nze (DU), 6-4, 7-6(7) 3. #13 Reka Zsilinszka (DU) def. Nelly Ciolkowski (CU), 6-2, 6-2 4. #59 Elizabeth Plotkin (DU) def. #100 Klara Vyskocilova (CU), 7-5, 0-6, 1-0(7) 5. #72 Rachel Kahan (DU) def. Caroline Magnusson (CU) 6-2, 6-1 6. #64 Mary Clayton (DU) def . Maria Belaya (CU), 6-2, 6-2 Order of Finish: 6,5,1*,3,4,2