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No. 3 UNC Survives Scare From No. 17 Virginia
April 2, 2011 | Women's Tennis
April 2, 2011
CHAPEL HILL --- No. 3 North Carolina needed a late rally from freshman Tessa Lyons at No. 6 singles to outlast a pesky Virginia team, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at blustery Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. The No. 17 Cavaliers got a comeback win from Caryssa Peretz on court five to tie the match at 3 before Lyons' heroics saved the day for UNC, which scored its 17th straight Atlantic Coast Conference win dating back to last season.
The ever-crucial doubles point looked to by heading in Virginia's direction early, as the visitors ran out to big leads on courts two and three. No. 6 Shinann Featherston and Lauren McHale topped No. 56 Lindsey Hardenberg and Erin Vierra at the top position, 8-6, before No. 28 Emily Fraser and Hana Tomljanovic topped Jelena Durisic and Jennifer Stone at No. 2.
Peretz and Maria Fuccillo looked to be in command on court three, racing out to a quick 4-0 lead over Gina Suarez-Malaguti and Zoe De Bruycker. But the Tar Heel sophomore tandem righted the ship and won eight of the next 10 games to storm past the Virginia pair, 8-6, and clinch the first point of the day.
Virginia (14-5, 3-3 ACC) evened the dual after one singles match, as No. 99 Vierra took care of Suarez-Malaguti at No. 4 in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2.
De Bruycker briefly restored the Tar Heel lead at the top of the lineup courtesy of a 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 53 Fraser, but No. 54 Hardenbergh pulled the visitors even again with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over No. 81 Featherston.
On court three, Durisic continued her stellar play with a scrappy 6-4, 7-6 (3) win over No. 84 Tomljanovice. The victory improved Durisic to 17-3 in dual matches and a perfect 6-0 against ACC opponents.
From there it looked as though Carolina (17-3, 6-0 ACC) would cruise to the win, as both McHale and Lyons appeared to be in control on courts five and six, respectively.
McHale, who traded 6-3 sets with Peretz, led the third set 4-1 and was serving to make it 5-0. But Peretz rallied to break for 2-4 and proceeded to win four straight games to take a 5-4 lead.
Meanwhile, on court six, Lyons was in a second-set tiebreak with Fuccillo. Lyons pulled ahead 6-4 and had a pair of match points, but Fuccillo spoiled them both and ultimately forced a deciding third set.
Serving down 4-5, McHale fought off a match point at No. 5 and eventually sent the match into a tiebreak. With the tiebreak tied at 3 at the first changeover, Peretz won three straight points to take a 6-3 lead. McHale fought off the first two match points but Peretz prevailed, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5).
Suddenly it was the Cavaliers who were in control, as Fuccillo jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the final set on court six. But Lyons stayed in it and got back on serve, evening the final set at five games each.
Lyons then took a 6-5 lead and got her third match point of the day after an overrule on a ball on the sideline at 30-all. The Wallingford, Pa., freshman made sure the dual would go no longer, finally closing out Fuccillo and the Wahoos, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 7-5.
Carolina will look for its 11th win in a row Sunday afternoon when the Tar Heels host Virginia Tech at 1 p.m.
No. 3 North Carolina 4, No. 17 Virginia 3
Doubles
1. #6 Featherston/McHale (UNC) def. #56 Hardenbergh/Vierra (UVA), 8-6
2. #28 Fraser/Tomljanovic (UVA) def. Durisic/Stone (UNC), 8-4
3. Suarez-Malaguti/De Bruycker (UNC) def. Fuccillo/Peretz (UVA), 8-6
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3*
Singles
1. #15 Zoe De Bruycker (UNC) def. #53 Emily Fraser (UVA), 6-4, 6-2
2. #54 Lindsey Hardenbergh (UVA) def. #81 Shinann Featherston (UNC), 6-4, 7-5
3. Jelena Durisic (UNC) def. #84 Hana Tomljanovic (UVA), 6-4, 7-6 (3)
4. #99 Erin Vierra (UVA) def. Gina Suarez-Malaguti (UNC), 6-1, 6-2
5. Caryssa Peretz (UVA) def. #125 Lauren McHale (UNC), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5)
6. Tessa Lyons (UNC) def. Maria Fuccillo (UVA), 6-3, 6-7 (7), 7-5
Order of finish: 4, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6*
Players Mentioned
