No. 4 Duke Drops 4-3 Heartbreaker to Oklahoma in NCAA Semifinal – Duke University

CHAMPAIGN, Unwell. – The No. 4 Duke girls’s tennis workforce gave a valiant effort because the Blue Devils battled to the very finish however finally got here up quick, falling to No. 2 Oklahoma within the nationwide semifinal match, 4-3, Saturday night time on the Atkins Indoor Tennis Middle.

“I assumed Oklahoma performed properly,” stated head coach Jamie Ashworth. “They’re seeded No. 2 for a motive and had the season they did for a motive. Hats off to them. They received us within the doubles there. I assumed we left some alternatives on the market on the courtroom within the doubles, however we recovered and fought our butts off within the singles. Groups are too good whenever you get thus far to offer them a degree with that doubles, and for us to have the ability to win 4 singles would’ve been an excellent accomplishment however we got here up just a bit bit quick.”

With the loss, the Blue Devils shut the door on an unbelievable season that noticed the workforce end with an general report of 23-4,  seize this system’s 18th ACC title and first since 2012, and advance to the NCAA semifinals for the eleventh time at school historical past and ninth with Ashworth on the helm.

“I informed them [the team] after that they have to be actually pleased with the truth that they hung two banners in our indoor heart,” Ashworth stated relating to his message to the workforce. “They gained the ACC Event, the hardest convention within the nation, and made the ultimate 4. We’re one among 4 groups that had an opportunity right here and so they need to be pleased with that, what they’ve accomplished and the way significantly better they’ve gotten as a gaggle. We could not be prouder of how they represented themselves and us as a workforce.”

Oklahoma (32-2) claimed the doubles level following wins on the highest two courts. The Sooner’s Tenth-ranked sister duo of Carmen and Ivana Corley opened the night with a 6-3 defeat of No. 17 Georgia Drummy and Karolina Berankova in flight one, however the Blue Devils countered shortly after as their tandem of Eliza Omirou and Margaryta Bilokin made fast work of their opposition on courtroom three, besting Dana Guzman and Emma Staker, 6-2.

The doubles level got here all the way down to the end result on courtroom two the place No. 49 Chloe Beck and Ellie Coleman had been locked in a battle towards Oklahoma’s Alexandra Pisareva and Layne Sleeth. The matchup was a tightly-contested back-and-forth affair because the groups break up the primary 10 video games. Sadly, Pisareva and Sleeth had been in a position to clinch the doubles level as they edged Beck and Coleman, 7-5, to offer the Sooners the early 1-0 lead. 

Drummy received the Blue Devils on the board with a win on courtroom two over No. 53 Carmen Corley. The 14th-ranked senior breezed to a 6-0 determination within the opening set earlier than pulling out set two, 7-5, to tie the general match rating at one apiece.

Oklahoma retook the lead following No. 10 Sleeth’s 6-0, 6-4 win over No. 9 Beck on the prime slot. Duke issued a response of its personal, this one coming from freshman Emma Jackson as she bested No. 97 Ivana Corley 7-5, 6-3 victory to stage the match at 2-2.

Pisareva gave the Sooners a 3-2 edge following her 6-1, 6-4 triumph towards Coleman at quantity 4 singles however as soon as once more Duke had a solution, with No. 106 senior Kelly Chen coming by way of as soon as once more. Taking over Guzman in flight 4, Chen scored a 6-3, 7-5 determination to increase the match and stage the rating at three all.

The match level got here all the way down to courtroom six the place Omirou and Staker had been going head-to-head. Omirou battled again from a set down and grinded out a 7-5 determination in set two to drive the deciding third set. Duke’s rally would fall quick nevertheless, as Staker took the ultimate set to offer the Sooners the victory.

“I like this workforce,” Ashworth added. “I like what they’ve accomplished and the way they responded to a bit of little bit of adversity through the yr. I like how they received higher – Higher as a workforce, nearer as a workforce and finally that is what you need. Regardless of the consequence could also be, you need them to have the ability to look again and know that all the pieces they put in was well worth the effort, and it actually was.”

Up Subsequent:
Duke will function a trio within the particular person championships as Beck, Berankova and Drummy will signify the Blue Devils on the 2022 NCAA Division I Girls’s Tennis Particular person Championships Could 23-28 in Champaign.

Beck and Drummy earned top-16 seeds and can compete within the singles draw, whereas the tandem of Berankova and Drummy will signify the Blue Devils in doubles competitors. The draw for the person competitors can be launched on Sunday, Could 22 earlier than play begins Monday.
 
RESULTS
Singles (2,1,3,5,4,6*)
1. #10 Layne Sleeth (OU) def. #9 Chloe Beck (DU) 6-0, 6-4
2. #14 Georgia Drummy (DU) def. #53 Carmen Corley (OU) 6-0, 7-5
3. Emma Jackson (DU) def. #97 Ivana Corley (OU) 7-5, 6-3
4. #106 Kelly Chen (DU) def. Dana Guzman (OU) 6-3, 7-5
5. Alexandra Pisareva (OU) def. Ellie Coleman (DU) 6-1, 6-4
6. Emma Staker (OU) def. Eliza Omirou (DU) 6-0, 5-7, 6-0
 
 
Doubles (1,3,2)
1. #10 Ivana Corley/Carmen Corley (OU) def. #17 Georgia Drummy/Karolina Berankova (DU) 6-3
2. Alexandra Pisareva/Layne Sleeth (OU) def. #49 Chloe Beck/Ellie Coleman (DU) 7-5
3. Margaryta Bilokin/Eliza Omirou (DU) def. Dana Guzman/Emma Staker (OU) 6-2
 
 
For extra data on Duke girls’s tennis, comply with the Blue Devils on Twitter, Fb and Instagram by trying to find “https://goduke.com/information/2022/5/22/DukeWTEN”.
 
 
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