Blue Devil head coach Ramsey Smith is hoping for a big turnout at today’s 3 p.m. match against No. 21 North Carolina.
“We are going to give it all we’ve got,” Smith said. “There should be a big crowd [today], especially because of the free burgers and dogs.”
But he thinks fans should come out for more than just the free food, since there will also be a key conference matchup against an archrival.
“It is always exciting when we play [the Tar Heels],” Smith said. “The rivalry is a big deal, but we are treating it just like every other ACC match.”
The match marks No. 7 Duke’s final home contest of the season before it hits the road to Maryland and Boston College next week, closing out regular season play.
The Blue Devils are coming off a successful showing in the Sunshine State this past weekend, sweeping Miami 7-0 and pulling out a 4-3 comeback victory over Florida State.
“The [Florida State] match was a big match,” Smith said. “We built up a lot of momentum and look forward to continue riding that momentum into [today’s] match.”
North Carolina (11-5, 8-1 ACC) and Duke (17-4, 7-2) currently rank second and third in conference play, respectively, behind Virginia (18-1, 9-0), which is undefeated in conference play.
Although the Tar Heels hold an 82-37 advantage over the Blue Devils in the series history, this match is likely to be emotional and hotly contested. Conference tournament play begins April 19, and the results of today’s match will play a large role in seeding for the tournament. Smith said the upcoming matches against the Terrapins and Eagles will put pressure on Duke as well.
“All three [upcoming conference] matches will determine our seeding in the ACC tournament,” Smith said. “We have put ourselves in a great position so far and we look to finish the regular season strong to give us momentum going into the ACC tournament.”
The Blue Devils will draw extra incentive in the final home match for their three graduating seniors—David Holland, Luke Marchese and Torsten Wietoska—who will be honored in a ceremony before the match. Smith feels extremely connected to this particular graduating class, who were freshmen when he began his coaching career at Duke.
“All three of these guys have had a tremendous impact on our program,” Smith said. “Holland is one of the more dominant doubles players, Marchese is one of the best competitors out there and Torsten has battled some injuries throughout his tenure, but I’m excited that he’s been playing his best tennis his senior year. He is healthy and playing really well this year and has been very strong at the No. 3 or 4 spot for us. All three guys have meant a lot to this program. It will be really nice to honor them prior to this match.”
The Blue Devils hope they can honor their seniors after the match as well, with a victory over a conference rival.
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