North Carolina
Duke
Women's Tennis Downs Duke to Seal Double ACC Tennis Championship
April 21, 2002 | Women's Tennis
April 21, 2002
Raleigh, N.C. - The UNC men's tennis team clinched their victory at the ACC Championship Sunday afternoon just in time to cheer on Kate Pinchbeck as she downed Duke's Amanda Johnson in the third set to seal Carolina's fifth ACC Championship in women's tennis and their first since the 1980-81 season.
Pinchbeck screamed in joy and threw her racket to the ground as her teammates rushed the court to surround the tournament MVP after her 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 victory over the 17th-ranked Johnson at flight two. Pinchbeck avenged her only regular season loss this spring, which came against Johnson in the regular season finale. Pinchbeck also lost to Johnson in a dramatic 7-6 final set in the 2001 regular season finale which Duke won 4-3. Pinchbeck made sure of a victory today, though, shutting Johnson out in the final set.
"I'm at a loss for words," said the normally talkative Pinchbeck following the victory. "Since I lost to her last year in the season finale, I have imagined winning like this, with my teammates running on to the court. I was really nervous, but I knew I had to win."
Pinchbeck wasn't the only clutch Tar Heel as No. 8 Carolina (22-4, 10-1 ACC) handed No. 4 Duke (24-4, 10-1, ACC) their first loss in the ACC Championship final after 14 consecutive wins. Freshman Aniela Mojzis battled back from a 6-4 loss in the first set to claim a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory over Iona Plesu at flight four to tie the match at 3-3.
Julie Rotondi also made quick work of 34th-ranked Julie DeRoo, 6-3, 6-2 to claim Carolina's first singles victory of the day. A dominant performance in doubles set the Tar Heels up for the victory, with wins at flights two and three to clinch the point. The flight one match was suspended with Rotondi and Marlene Mejia leading 7-5.
First-year coach Jen Callen praised Pinchbeck's tough play in the final set after the awards presentation.
"It was the sweetest finish," Callen said. "Kate has worked so hard all year long. I knew it would be a really tough match. She rose to the occasion at the exact right time. It's a great feeling to win such a big match. When you have two teams playing at the same level, anything can happen. Duke is a great team."
Carolina's victory is their first over Duke since a 5-4 victory on April 1, 1987. Since then, Duke had lost only three ACC matches until today. The loss drops the Blue Devils to 147-3 in their last 150 regular season and ACC tournament matches against conference opponents, with the previous two coming against Wake Forest in 2000 and 1989. Duke's last loss in the ACC tournament came at the hands of Clemson in the 1987 semifinals.
The Tar Heels will next play on May 10th in the first round of the NCAA regionals.
Singles:
1. #5 Kelly McCain (Duke) d. #30 Marlene Mejia (UNC), 6-2, 6-3
2. #19 Kate Pinchbeck (UNC) d. #17 Amanda Johnson (Duke), 6-3, 4-6, 6-0*
3. #44 Julie Rotondi (UNC) d. #34 Julie DeRoo (Duke), 6-3, 6-2
4. Aniela Mojzis (UNC) d. Iona Plesu (Duke), 4-6, 6-2, 6-0
5. # 65 Saras Arasu (Duke) d. Lee Bairos (UNC), 6-1, 6-4
6. Katie Granson (Duke) d. Kendall Cline (UNC), 6-1, 6-0
Doubles:
1. Mejia/Rotondi (UNC) vs. Hillary Adams/McCain (Duke), 7-5, susp.
2. Cline/Mojzis (UNC) d. DeRoo/Johnson (Duke), 8-4
3. Bairos/Pinchbeck(UNC) d. Susie Abromeit/Granson (Duke), 8-0
