Tiger Tennis Posts 4-3 Victory Over #20 Duke On Saturday

March 31, 2007

CLEMSON, SC – Tiger freshman Ani Mijacika won her ninth straight singles match to improve to 19-5, and the eighth-ranked Clemson women’s tennis team defeated #20 Duke, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon at the Hoke Sloan Tennis Center.

The Tigers improved to 14-3 overall and 5-1 in the ACC with the win, while the Blue Devils fell to 9-4 and 4-1 in conference action.

Mijacika, who is ranked 64th in the Fila/ITA Tennis singles poll, posted a straight-set, upset-victory over #59 Melissa Mang at the flight two position (6-3, 6-2) to remain perfect against ACC opponents. Her win put Clemson ahead, 2-1, in the match.

The Tigers scored their first point of the afternoon by sweeping all three doubles contests, the sixth time Clemson has done so this season. Mijacika paired with Federica van Adrichem to defeat Daniela Bercek and Melissa Mang at the flight one position. The teams were tied at 6-6 before the Tiger tandem recorded the final two points for its 10th victory of the season. Estefania Balda and Ina Hadziselimovic won an 8-4 decision over Jessi Robinson and Amanda Granson at flight two, while Maria Brito and Carol Salge withstood a late rally by Elizabeth Plotkin and Kristin Cargill to record the 8-6 victory.

The Blue Devils tied the match score at one apiece as Zawacki defeated Brito, 6-3, 6-2, at the flight five singles position. The Tiger lead grew to 3-1 after Salge posted a straight-set victory over Plokin at number three (6-3, 6-4). Hadziselimovic then clinched the win for Clemson with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Clelia Deltour at flight six.

In the final two matches of the afternoon, Balda fell in a three-set battle to 52nd-ranked Bercek at the top singles slot, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1, while van Adrichem fought back against Granson to force a third set before falling to the Duke freshman, 7-6(4), 5-7, 10-7.

The Tigers will return to action on Sunday in their final home match of the 2007 regular season. They will play host to #13 North Carolina in a 12:00 pm match.

#8 Clemson 4, #20 Duke 3 Doubles 1. #7 Mijacika/van Adrichem (CU) def. #27 Bercek/Mang (DUKE), 8-6 2. Balda/Hadziselimovic (CU) def. Robinson/Granson (DUKE), 8-4 3. Brito/Salge (CU) def. Plotkin/Kristin Cargill (DUKE), 8-6 Order of Finish – 2, 1, 3 Singles 1. #52 Daniela Bercek (DUKE) def. #85 Estefania Balda (CU), 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 2. #64 Ani Mijacika (CU) def. #59 Melissa Mang (DUKE), 6-3, 6-2 3. #67 Carol Salge (CU) def. #106 Elizabeth Plotkin (DUKE), 6-3, 6-4 4. Amanda Granson (DUKE) def. Federica van Adrichem (CU), 7-6(4), 5-7, 10-7 5. Tory Zawacki (DUKE) def. Maria Brito (CU), 6-3, 6-3 *6. Ina Hadziselimovic (CU) def. Clelia Deltour (DUKE), 6-4, 6-4 Order of Finish – 5, 2, 3, 6, 1, 4 * – clinched match Records: Clemson 14-3, 5-1 ACC; Duke 9-4, 4-1 ACC