No. 3 Duke Overpowers No. 23 Clemson Friday

March 30, 2012

CLEMSON, SC – No. 23 Clemson battled with No. 3 Duke for more than four hours, but came away on the short end of a 6-1 decision on Friday night. The match was moved indoors after rain soaked the area late in the afternoon. Clemson (11-7, 4-2 ACC) saw its four ACC match winning streak snapped to the Blue Devils (16-2, 5-0 ACC), the fourth top ten opponent of the season for the Tigers. The road doesn’t get much easier, as Clemson will take on No. 8 North Carolina on Sunday at noon in Clemson. Six of Clemson’s seven losses this season have come to teams ranked among the top-15 in the nation by the ITA. The Tigers looked like they may have momentum in doubles early on, as Romy Kölzer had fallen on court two, 8-4 as well. Dropping the doubles point was crucial, as the Devils entered with a 22-2 team singles record in ACC matches this season, and the Tigers would have to pull out four in order to claim victory. Gumulya did well to play with confidence in singles. Across the net from her was 86th-ranked Rachel Kahan, who went 31-1 as a freshman and was 15-4 as a sophomore with an eight match winning streak. The sophomore had an unblemished 15-0 record in ACC dual matches in her career. Despite the odds, Gumulya fought her way to a 6-4 first set win, and cruised, 6-1 in the second set to knot the match at 1-1. Gumulya improved to 5-1 in ACC play on the year, and recorded her first career win against a ranked player. Mar, ranked 51st, downed 88th-ranked Vyskocilova, 6-4, 6-2 to give Duke the lead back.Capra, the nation’s No. 2 ranked player and Wong, ranked 55th, battled it out on court one. Although Capra claimed a 6-4, 6-2 decision, the two battled for more than an hour and 45 minutes. No. 112 Ester Goldfeld downed Romy Kölzer dropped the first set to No. 92 Monica Turewicz, but came back to win the second, 6-1. She then scored four in a row in a super tiebreaker, before Turewicz rattled off ten straight for the 6-1, 1-6, 1-0 (10-4) win. No. 3 Duke (16-2, 5-0 ACC) def. No. 23 Clemson (11-7, 4-2 ACC), 6-1March 30, 2012 – Clemson Indoor Courts – Clemson, SCDoubles:1. #17 Bek/Wong (CU) def. #42 Clayton/Goldfeld (DU), 8-42. #25 Capra/Kahan (DU) def. Gumulya/Kölzer(CU), 8-43. Mar/Mulholland (DU) def. Kochanova/Vyskocilova (CU), 9-8 (3)Order of finish: 1,2,3Singles:1. #2 Beatrice Capra (DU) def. #55 Romy Kölzer (CU), 6-1, 1-6, 1-0 (4)Order of finish: 4,3,1,2*,5,6