Feb. 21, 2004

DURHAM, N.C.--In its second away match of the season, Northwestern's seventh-ranked women's tennis team lost for just the second time, dropping a 5-2 decision to No. 10 Duke at Ambler Stadium.

The Wildcats (7-2) started off well, taking two of three doubles matches for the point. Top-ranked Cristelle Grier (Surrey, England/Putney) and Jessica Rush (Dallas, Texas/The Hockaday School) held on for an 8-5 victory over Amanda Johnson and Julia Smith at No. 1, while Jamie Peisel (Savannah, Ga./Savannah Country Day) and Alexis Prousis (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) brought in an 8-3 win against Jennifer Zika and Tory Zawacki at No. 3.

Prousis also was the first to finish in singles, giving NU a 2-0 advantage by upsetting 95th-ranked Smith 6-1, 6-1 at No. 4. Unfortunately, the Blue Devils (6-1) took over from there.

Duke tied the match with victories at Nos. 6 and 5. Fifth-ranked Johnson then gave the Blue Devils the lead by edging No. 4 Grier 7-5, 7-5 at No. 1.

The match ended after No. 36 Rush fell 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (8) to No. 64 Zika at No. 2. Duke subsequently earned the 5-2 win over Northwestern.

The Wildcats head to Chapel Hill, N.C., for a noon (CT) match against No. 9 North Carolina on Sunday.

No. 10 Duke 5, No. 7 Northwestern 2

Singles
No. 1 -- #5 Amanda Johnson (DU) def. #4 Cristelle Grier (NU), 7-5, 7-5
No. 2 -- #64 Jennifer Zika (DU) def. #36 Jessica Rush (NU), 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (8)
No. 3 -- #89 Tory Zawacki (DU) def. Jamie Peisel (NU), 6-3, 6-3
No. 4 -- Alexis Prousis (NU) def. #95 Julia Smith (DU), 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 -- #91 Saras Arasu (DU) def. Andrea Yung (NU), 6-1, 6-3
No. 6 -- Kristin Cargill (DU) def. Ruth Barnes (NU), 6-3, 6-1

Doubles
No. 1 -- #1 Grier/Rush (NU) def. Johnson/Smith (DU), 8-5
No. 2 -- Peisel/Prousis (NU) def. Zawacki/Zika (DU), 8-3
No. 3 -- Arasu/Cargill (DU) def. Barnes/Young (NU), 8-2

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