For the first time this season, the tenth-ranked women's tennis team (4-1) swept all six singles matches, as it defeated No. 36 Indiana (4-2) by a 6-1 margin on Sunday in Bloomington, Ind.
The Blue Devils started the match down 1-0 after losing the doubles point for only the second time this season. Hoosier seniors Karie Schlukebir and Linda Tran, ranked No. 24 nationally, defeated Amanda Johnson and Julia Smith 9-7 at the No. 1 position, while Indiana's Martina Grimm and Sarah Batty edged Jennifer Zika and Kristin Cargill 9-8 (2) at the second slot.
Duke did pick up a victory at No. 3 doubles, as Tory Zawaki and Saras Arasu knocked off their opponents 8-6.
"We played scared in doubles," Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth said. "We didn't play aggressive and didn't take any chances. We've got to learn to move more and put more pressure on people."
When the Blue Devils lost the doubles point against Vanderbilt earlier this season, they were subsequently swept in singles. However, Duke reversed that trend on Sunday, led by quick straight-set wins from Cargill and Smith at the sixth and fourth spots, respectively.
Cargill evened the overall score at 1-1 with her 6-1, 6-1 victory over Cecile Perton, and Smith gave the Blue Devils the lead for good by downing Laura McGaffigan 6-4, 6-1.
"We said after we lost the doubles point against Vanderbilt that we needed a quick singles win, but we weren't able to get it then," Ashworth said. "Both [Cargill and Smith] won in under an hour, and those wins neutralized the [lost] doubles point and gave us the lead."
The four remaining singles matches all went to three sets, but each time the Blue Devils came out victorious. Austrian native Zika, ranked No. 64 in the nation, defeated Batty 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 at third singles to put Duke up 3-1, and fellow freshman Zawaki clinched the victory with a 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 victory over No. 81 Tran at the No. 2 slot.
"I was really tight in the first set, but that motivated me to play well in the second and third sets," Zawaki said. "I thought I played well, better than I had been."
Fifth-ranked Johnson and No. 91 Arasu rounded out the victory with three-set wins for Duke. Johnson, a three-time All American, outlasted No. 48 Dora Vastag 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.
"I think that I had some ups and downs, but as a whole I played better than I have been playing," Johnson said. "The more matches that I play the more match tough I'm getting."
The Blue Devils will return home to the Sheffield Tennis Center next Thursday with a 4 p.m. contest against Old Dominion.
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