Winning consistently at any level in sports is a challenge that teams constantly struggle with.
Rare is the team that can maintain, year in and year out, a standard of excellence at a very high level of competition.
The San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Braves are two teams, in recent memory, that have achieved that elusive tradition of winning. Granted, these teams don't bring home titles every year, but they are always right there in the hunt.
Another team that seems to fit that description is Duke's women's tennis team.
A consistent winner, Duke has dominated opponents in the ACC for the past decade, winning 11 consecutive regular season and tournament titles. The Blue Devils' 102-match winning streak against the rest of the conference is further evidence of their mastery of the ACC.
But as the Niners or Braves could probably attest, winning on the conference or league level just doesn't compare to the coveted championship trophy.
Duke, after three straight trips to the Final Four, seems poised to elevate its game and take that next step-for a run at the team's first-ever NCAA title.
"In my eyes, our progression can only be upward," sophomore Megan Miller said. "We can't stop for a second and sit back and expect to win. Everyone is gunning for us."
After finishing last year with a school-record 27 wins and a school-best No. 2 final national ranking, an NCAA crown seems to be the next logical goal for this team.
Returning every key player on a team that lost to Florida in the NCAA finals last year, the No. 2 Blue Devils seem to have all the necessary components for the one accomplishment that has eluded them.
"This is the deepest Duke team that I have ever coached," said coach Jamie Ashworth. "We have experience and leadership. The potential is definitely there."
In addition to a deep roster loaded with experience, Duke has an added advantage that most other teams lack. Vanessa Webb won the NCAA singles title last year as a junior to become the first female individual champion in any sport in school history.
Back to defend her singles crown, Webb knows what it takes to win at the highest level, something that Ashworth hopes will rub off on the rest of the team.
"She has been there before," said Ashworth. "The younger players see the success that she's had and the overall confidence she brings. It all carries over."
"I think she brings us a wealth of knowledge, having already won the title," added Miller. "She's inspired us to come together as a team. She has no real reason to come back [other than] the incentive to win the team title."
Along with Webb, seniors Karen Goldstein and Kristin Sanderson will be counted on to share in the leadership responsibilities for the veteran squad.
Goldstein's play was superb for Duke last year in her first season with the team after transferring from Arizona. Teaming up with Webb in doubles, she earned All-America honors for her play and the duo made it all the way to the NCAA semifinals in only their first year playing together.
Sanderson, who was the Blue Devils' No. 2 singles player last year, is a two-time All-ACC selection and has totaled 77 victories in her career at Duke. Since the end of last season, she has moved from being ranked 41st in the country to claim the 27th spot.
Sophomores Kathy Sell and Miller, though still young, turned in impressive performances for Duke last season despite having no experience at the college level.
"Sell is a very vocal leader for us and Miller is key for us in team situations," Ashworth said. "[Miller] gives everything she has and that is exactly what our team needs."
Newcomers Erica Biro and Ioana Plesu, along with junior Brooke Siebel, will challenge to fill the only open slot, left by the graduation of Laura Zifer.
In an effort to reach new heights as a team, many of the Blue Devils have tried to improve their individual games in the offseason by playing in tournaments against tough competition.
Webb played for a few months on the WTA tour and Sell and Miller both reached the finals of the College Summer Championships. Play against such competition only serves to enhance the Blue Devils' chances of ending the season with a national title under their belts.
"As many times as you can put yourself in match situations the better," Ashworth said. "It's hard to simulate pressure situations so we try and place ourselves in those situations as often as possible."
Recently, the Blue Devils were placed in a pressure situation and came away with their first loss of the season, to 10th-ranked William & Mary. While the loss came as a surprise to the team, it also served as a wakeup call.
"We realize that everyone is going to be up to play us," said Ashworth. "We can't live with what we've done in the past. The way we are preparing is to be the best team in May come NCAA tournament time."
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