Duke University Team Page
DURHAM, N.C. – The fourth-ranked Duke women’s tennis team returns to Durham just a week after making its fourth consecutive appearance in the semifinal of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s (ITA) National Indoor Championship to play host to second-ranked Florida Sunday, Feb. 17 at 12 p.m. at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center. The Blue Devils enter the match with a 6-1 overall record, including a 3-1 slate against ranked opponents.
Duke is coming off a trip to Charlottesville, Va., for the ITA National Indoor Championship in which the Blue Devils downed No. 15 Baylor, 4-1, in the first round, before dispatching No. 14 Northwestern, 4-1, in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, the Blue Devils faced in-state rival North Carolina, and were unable to slow eventual-champion and now top-ranked Tar Heels, 4-0.
Duke currently has four players ranked in most recent ITA singles poll, led by junior Hanna Mar who is No. 14 on the list. Mar, a native of Burr Ridge, Ill., leads the way for the Blue Devils with a 16-4 overall record and a 2-1 record in dual matches while playing in the top-spot for Duke. In addition to Mar, sophomore Ester Goldfeld (No. 45), senior Mary Clayton (No. 64) and junior Marianne Jodoin (No. 102) round out the singles rankings for the Blue Devils.
The Blue Devils have tallied a 40-10 overall doubles record, including a 14-2 mark in dual matches this season. Duke is led by the tandem of Clayton and Goldfeld who own a perfect 5-0 record playing in the top spot in dual matches this season, including three wins over nationally ranked opponents.
The Blue Devils and Gators have a long history dating back to Duke’s first season of women’s tennis in 1977, with Florida leading the series record 35-4. The two programs met last season in the NCAA Tournament semifinal, in which the Gators barely edged the Blue Devils, 4-3, en route to their second consecutive national championship, but since 2008, the series record is 1-1 in matches played in Durham, N.C.
For live updates on the match, follow along on GoDuke.com or on twitter (@Duke_WTEN).
