EVANSTON, Ill. - Junior Hanna Mar and sophomore Monica Turewicz returned to their home state of Illinois to help the third-ranked Duke women's tennis team sweep No. 14 Northwestern, 4-0, Sunday at the Combe Tennis Center. With the win, the Blue Devils extend their record to a perfect 4-0, while compiling a 17-0 singles tally in those matches.

"I was really pleased with how we competed in our first real test of the year," said head coach Jamie Ashworth. "Northwestern is a feisty team and they make you play and play, they rarely give you free points. I thought we handled ourselves in the tight pressure situations really well and showed a lot of fortitude on the big points."

 

In doubles action, the duo of senior Mary Clayton and sophomore Ester Goldfeld continued their outstanding play in the No. 1 position with an easy 8-4 victory over No. 42 Linda Abu Mushrefova and Nida Hamilton. The Blue Devil tandem has tallied a 3-0 record in dual matches, two of which were against nationally ranked opponents, including a 8-1 rout of third-ranked Maria Belaya and Jeltje Loomans of William & Mary Jan. 19.

 

The tandem of sophomore Annie Mulholland and junior Marianne Jodoin dropped serve early and fell to a 2-1 deficit early in the No. 2 position against Veronica Corning and Alicia Barnett, but were able to break serve to take a 5-4 lead. The two teams traded games, before evening it up at 6-6, but Mulholland and Jodoin were able to win the last two games to clinch the doubles point for the Blue Devils. The team of Mar and Turewicz were tied at 7-7 aginst Belinda Niu and Kate Turvy when the point was clinched.

 

In singles play, Turewicz, a native of Lake Forest, Ill., cruised easily past Abu Mushrefova, 6-3, 6-1 on court five, while Jodoin topped Barnett, 6-3, 6-1, in the sixth position to give the Blue Devils a commanding 3-0 lead in the match. Turewicz and Jodoin have a compiled a combined 6-0 record when playing in the fifth and sixth positions this season respectively.

 

On court three, No. 40 Goldfeld broke serve twice opening up a commanding 3-0 lead in the first set, and continued her solid play, overwhelming Niu, 6-0, 6-2, to clinch the match for the Blue Devils.

 

Clayton, ranked No. 53 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, overcame an early deficit to outlast Corning, 6-4, 4-5 in the second position before the match was decided. Mar, a native of Burr Ridge, Ill., traded games with No. 67 Turvy before eventually taking the first set to a tie-breaker. In the tie-breaker, Mar dominated Turvy, breaking serve three times, before sweeping the tie-breaker 7-0 and taking the first set. Mar held a 7-6, 1-0 edge before the match was decided. In addition, Mulholland owned a 6-4, 2-3, mark against Wowchuck in the fourth position, when Goldfeld closed the match out.

 

The Blue Devils are next slated to compete at the ITA National Indoor Championship Feb.8-11 in Charlottesville, Va. The undefeated Blue Devils seek a second consecutive trip to the championship match at the tournament, after falling to UCLA in the 2012 ITA National Indoor Championship.

 

 "Heading into the National Team Indoors this coming week in Charlottesville, it's great to see all six of our girls competing, fighting, and overall hitting a good, solid ball," Ashworth said. "It was a great team effort and an effort we are truly proud of."

 

Duke vs. Northwestern

Feb 03, 2013 at Evanston, Illinois

(Combe Tennis Center)

 

#3 Duke 4, #14 Northwestern 0

 

Singles Competition

1. #10 Hanna Mar (DUKE) def. #67 Kate Turvy (NU) 7-6 (7-0), 1-0, no result

2. #53 Mary Clayton (DUKE) vs. Veronica Corning (NU) no result

3. #40 Ester Goldfield (DUKE) def. Belinda Niu (NU) 6-0, 6-2

4. Annie Mulholland (DUKE) vs. Brittany Wowchuk (NU) no result

5. Monica Turewicz (DUKE) def. Linda Abu Mushrefova (NU) 6-3, 6-1

6. #63 Marianne Jodoin (DUKE) def. Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-3, 6-1

 

Doubles Competition

1. Mary Clayton/Ester Goldfield (DUKE) def. #42 Linda Abu Mushrefova/Nida Hamilton (NU) 8-4

2. Annie Mulholland/Marianne Jodoin (DUKE) def. Veronica Corning/Alicia Barnett (NU) 8-6

3. Hanna Mar/Monica Turewicz (DUKE) vs. Belinda Niu/Kate Turvy (NU) no result

 

Match Notes:

Duke 4-0; National ranking #3

Northwestern 2-2; National ranking #14

Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (5,6,3)

T-3:07 A-227