This weekend, the men's tennis team was unable to beat an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent for the first time all year.
But it was lousy weather, not a lousy performance, that prevented the fifth-ranked Blue Devil squad from notching more than one ACC victory this past weekend.
The team dominated Virginia in Charlottesville on Saturday, dropping just one set on its way to a 7-0 victory over the Cavaliers. Duke was scheduled to play its final road match of the regular season against the Maryland Terrapins, the cellar dwellers in the ACC, on Sunday. Rainy weather and the lack of an indoor playing facility forced the cancellation of the match.
"It was kind of long trip for just that one match," Duke head coach Jay Lapidus said. "It was out of our control in terms of playing Maryland. But we played very well against Virginia."
The Cavaliers (11-4, 1-3) were clearly overmatched. Duke (16-5, 5-0) swept the three doubles matches to begin the afternoon, with only Peter Ayers and Rob Chess having any kind of a struggle. The twosome won 9-7 at the No. 1 slot.
The singles matches were even more of a blowout. Only at the No. 6 position did a Duke player even drop a set, and Sven Koehler atoned for that sin by dispatching J.R. Anderson of UVa convincingly in the third set, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
Most impressive for the Blue Devils in the singles lineup was Chess, winning 6-1, 6-0 at the No. 2 spot.
"Everyone on the team played really well," Lapidus said. "Rob Chess had an especially good performance."
Also cruising for the Blue Devils were Philippe Moggio, who won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 5 singles, and Duke's No. 1 Chris Pressley, winning 6-2, 6-3.
The team had hoped to continue its winning ways against the Terrapins, but the rain would not allow it to happen. Lapidus said Maryland agreed to play Duke on April 20, the day before the ACC tournament is scheduled to begin, to make up the match if it could affect the ACC standings.
There is also the possibility that this rematch could be unnecessary.
If Duke is able to defeat North Carolina at home this Wednesday and knock off Clemson on Saturday, the Blue Devils would virtually lock up the ACC regular season title. Maryland could be assured of last place in the conference by that point in the season and, therefore, the match may not need to be made up as ACC standings would not be affected.
"We're hoping for a big turnout for our home match with UNC this Wednesday," Lapidus said. "They're pretty close to us in the standings, second or third, and we'll be ready to play, it being UNC and all."
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