The home courts of Ambler Tennis Stadium and Sheffield Indoor Tennis Stadium have been kind to Duke this year, and the No. 6 Blue Devils hope to continue that trend when they take on ACC rival N.C. State Thursday at 4 p.m.
Duke is a perfect 7-0 at home this season, yet the location of this afternoon’s match will depend on the weather—Duke (9-1) defeated Michigan outdoors last Saturday on a clear, warm day, but Thursday’s weather report calls for temperatures below 40 degrees.
The matchup with the Wolfpack marks the Blue Devils’ first foray into conference play, although Duke won’t stay within the ACC for long. After playing N.C. State (3-2) today, the Blue Devils won’t face another conference team until March 27, when they host Maryland. In between, Duke has three road and one home match scheduled against nonconference opponents.
Thursday’s dual match could represent a milestone for head coach Jamie Ashworth, who is seeking his 300th victory at the helm of the Duke program. Ashworth is 299-69 in 13 seasons in Durham.
Last weekend, Duke bounced back from a loss to current No. 2 North Carolina with wins over Furman and No. 6 Michigan. Against the Wolverines, junior Ellah Nze earned a tough victory at No. 1 singles, while senior Elizabeth Plotkin improved to 10-0 on the year.
—from staff reports
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