North Carolina
Furman
Women's Tennis Beats Furman to Advance in NCAA Tournament
May 12, 2002 | Women's Tennis
May 12, 2002
Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- The University of North Carolina women's tennis team defeated Furman, 4-0, in the second round of the NCAA Tennis Tournament at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, advancing to the round of 16 for the first time in school history.
"I was impressed with Furman's tenacity and the way they played in doubles," said Carolina head coach Jen Callen. "I thought it was important for us to win the doubles point to give us some momentum in singles and it did. We had to raise our level of play in singles to win the match."
The Tar Heels (24-4) had to rally to claim the doubles point after Furman's Mary Neill Hagood and Gene Holman scored an early 8-5 victory over Kate Pinchbeck and Lee Bairos at No. 3 doubles. However, Carolina's Aniela Mojzis and Kendall Cline fought back to claim an 8-4 victory and tie the doubles at one set apiece. Trailing by scores of 3-1 and 4-2, Mojzis and Cline won the final six games to take the set and even the match. Marlene Mejia and Julie Rotondi secured the doubles point for the Tar Heels with an 8-4 victory at No. 1.
In singles action, Rotondi won her 17th consecutive match with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Holman at the No. 3 position. Mojzis scored Carolina?s third point with a 6-2, 6-0 victory at No. 4. For the second consecutive day, Pinchbeck clinched the match at No. 2 singles, defeating Kovarik, 6-1, 6-2.
"I didn't feel like I was playing my best tennis," said Pinchbeck. "But I hung in there and I knew if I got my game together, I would win the match."
Carolina's 24 victories are the most in school history since the 1985 season when the Tar Heels finished 24-10.
The Tar Heels will travel to Palo Alto, Calif., for the team finals beginning on May 16. The competition will be held at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium on the Stanford University campus. Carolina plays the winner of Arizona and Arizona State.
Singles
No. 1 - Marlene Mejia (UNC) vs. Megan Dunigan (Furman), suspended
No. 2 - Kate Pinchbeck (UNC) def. Mary Kovarik (Furman), 6-1, 6-2*
No. 3 - Julie Rotondi (UNC) def. Gene Holman (Furman), 6-1, 6-1
No. 4 - Aniela Mojzis (UNC) def. Mary Neill Hagood (Furman), 6-2, 6-0
No. 5 - Lee Bairos (UNC) vs. Natalie The (Furman), suspended
No. 6 - Kendall Cline (UNC) vs. Caroline Bentley (Furman), suspended
*clinching match
Doubles
No. 1 - Marlena Mejia/Julie Rotondi (UNC) def. Megan Dunigan/Natalie The (Furman), 8-4
No. 2 - Kendall Cline/Aniela Mojzis (UNC) def. Caroline Bentley/Mary Kovarik (Furman), 8-4
No. 3 - Mary Neill Hagood/Gene Holman (Furman) def. Lee Bairos/Kate Pinchbeck (UNC), 8-5
