Closing out the Tar Heel Invitational with a dominant team performance against N.C. State, Duke finished the fall season they way head coach Jamie Ashworth has always encouraged the team to play—together.
Defending their home turf at Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center, the Blue Devils prevented the Wolfpack from notching a single win on the final day of the Tar Heel Invitational. In doubles, junior Beatrice Capra and freshman Samantha Harris forced a third set tiebreaker and rallied to a 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 victory, setting the tone early.
In singles competition, Duke was equally dominant as four amblers, including freshman Christina Makarova, each won their singles matches to complete the day. The effort constituted a sizable team victory, despite the event being an individual tournament. For Ashworth—who has stressed the importance of developing a strong team culture well before the actual team competition begins—the performance was a step in the right direction.
“It is definitely good to get wins against teams like N.C. State, who we will play again in the spring,” Ashworth said, “But it’s also important to see girls supporting each other on the court. Hearing someone from two courts down shouting ‘Let's go Annie’ or ‘Let's go Ester’…you don’t get that a lot in fall tournaments, so it’s a good thing to start getting a feel for it in a team match setting like this. That kind of support really lends well to how we play in the spring.”
With Duke’s most dominant doubles team of the fall season—freshman Rebecca Smaller and redshirt senior Racheal Kahan—being rested due to nagging injuries, doubles play became a point of emphasis for Duke heading into the Tar Heel Invitational. Opting to use the tournament as an opportunity to try out different doubles pairings, Ashworth put together players who had no experience competing with each other this season.
For the doubles team of seniors Annie Mulholland and Ester Goldfeld, there were few adjustments to make, as the duo wasted no time in posting Duke’s first win of the tournament, thumping Penn State 8-2 Friday. The pair went on to defeat a South Carolina team 8-4 and close out the fall season a perfect 2-0. The team of Capra and Harris, however, struggled at times as the junior-freshman pair worked through its growing pains. The team won convincingly against a Penn State tandem 8-2 before falling to a Virginia team 8-5 and escaping a second loss in their battle with N.C. State on Sunday.
Driving the Blue Devils' focus on players developing into a cohesive unit has been the need for the freshman class to integrate their style of play with the veterans.
“There’s definitely a learning curve [when new players come together],” Ashworth said. “Communication is something we have to keep working on. We hope that our upperclassmen take the lead there. I think one of the reasons Capra and Harris were able to come back [Sunday], was because Capra did a good job of being engaged in the second set, more so than she was in the first set.”
Making her season debut in the Tar Heel Invitational was Makarova, who had not competed since July after undergoing knee surgery. This weekend was especially important to the freshman, as she was able to get her first taste of competition before the importance of each match compounds with the advent of the spring season.
The San Diego native, notched her first career victory in a doubles match paired with sophomore Alyssa Smith, edging out Maryland 8-7. In singles, the freshman made her debut against South Carolina’s Ximena Silas Luna, forcing a third set tiebreaker before ultimately falling 3-6, 6-3, 1-0. Makarova would go on to rebound, winning her last two singles matches, finishing the fall season 2-1.
“[Makarova] pushed through some physical things on the court which was good to see," Ashworth said. “She definitely improved as the weekend went on, and she’ll continue to get better. But, for now, it was good for her to get a taste of what competition is like now, so she wont be as nervous for her first matches in the spring."
With the fall season in the books, the Blue Devils can shift their focus toward preparing themselves for the bulk of their season, which begins Jan. 8 in Maui, Hawaii, when they take on a highly-regarded Cal Berkeley team. Although Duke did not walk away from fall competition with as many wins as Ashworth would have liked, the head coach has been quick to point out that there is more to be gained from the fall season than a ledger.
The strong team finish at the Tar Heel Invitational, rather, points to the kind of success that Duke has been striving for throughout the fall months. Freshmen and veterans alike have bought into Ashworth’s goal of team unity and the results are starting to show.
With a strong team culture to fall back on, Duke can focus on getting match ready.
“The way the rules are set up [regarding winter training], a lot of the responsibility falls back on the players,” Ashworth said. “Individuals will need to push themselves like they do in practice, but without their coaches being there. I have full confidence that this group will be as prepared as they can be.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.