The eighth-ranked Blue Devils fell 5-2 to No. 2 Northwestern Sunday at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center. The loss was Duke's first of the year.
Freshman Reka Zsilinszka and junior Melissa Mang secured the two points for Duke (5-1). Zsilinszka took her third-singles match 6-4, 6-1 to cut Duke's deficit to 2-1, and Mang won 7-6 (10-8), 6-2 at fifth singles after Northwestern (11-1) had already clinched the win.
Northwestern forged ahead early, winning the one point from three doubles matches. When sophomore Liz Plotkin, the reigning ACC player of the week, retired with an injury, the Wildcats took a 2-0 lead. Before she was sidelined, Plotkin led 5-4 in the first set at fourth singles.
Northwestern's Suzie Matzenauer sealed the win with a three-set victory over Amanda Granson at sixth singles. Duke's Ellah Nze also lost in three sets at second singles.
The Blue Devils opened the weekend with a 6-1 win over Princeton Friday.
Five singles players won for Duke, led by Plotkin, Zsilinskza, Jessi Robinson and Tory Zawacki, all of whom won in straight sets. Nze proceeded to win at the top spot in three sets, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
Duke returns to the court Wednesday in its ACC-opener against Maryland.
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