Sunday, February 25
Chapel Hill, N.C.
1:00 PM
North Carolina
3
vs
4
Vanderbilt
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Vanderbilt Outlasts #1 UNC, 4-3, In Marathon Match
February 25, 2018 | Women's Tennis
CHAPEL HILL – The top-ranked North Carolina women's tennis team lost for the first time this season, a 4-3 loss to No. 7 Vanderbilt at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center on Sunday. The four-hour marathon match moves the Tar Heels to 12-1 on the year.
The loss marks the first time since Feb. 4, 2014 against Texas A&M that the Tar Heels have dropped a non-conference match at home.
The Tar Heels began the afternoon strong, capturing a dramatic doubles point to kick off the match. After losing on court three, North Carolina captured comeback wins from the duos of No. 9 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham and No. 20 Sara Daavettila/Alle Sanford to fire up the crowd.
The clinching win came on court two where Sanford and Daavettila fought back from down 5-1 to win 7-6 in a tiebreaker.
However, after dropping the doubles point, visiting Vanderbilt (7-2) hit the court in singles play and took control of the day's action.
The Commodores quickly got on the board with wins from Amanda Meyer and No. 56 Astra Sharma, giving Vanderbilt a 2-1 lead. But #93 Alexa Graham and #28 Sara Daavettila won back-to-back sets on courts four and three, respectively, to put the Heels back on top.
Graham was a 6-3, 6-4 straight-set winner over #120 Emma Kurtz, while Daavettila was pushed to straight sets against #24 Christina Rosca but prevailed, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Both Graham and Daavettila improved to a perfect 12-0 in dual matches this spring season.
After Chloe Ouellet-Pizer fell in three sets on court six, the deciding point would come on court two. No. 15 Makenna Jones went up 5-2 in the third set, just a point away from clinching a North Carolina win, but No. 5 Fernanda Contreras fought all the way back and managed to win 7-4 in a tiebreaker set to send Vanderbilt home the winner.
North Carolina will host Boston College on Friday for a 3 p.m. ACC matchup in Chapel Hill.
#1 North Carolina 4, #7 Vanderbilt 3
Singles Results
#56 Astra Sharma (VAN) def. #8 Alle Sanford (UNC) 6-3, 6-4
#5 Fernanda Contreras (VAN) def. #15 Makenna Jones (UNC) 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4)
#28 Sara Daavettila (UNC) def. #24 Christina Rosca (VAN) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
#93 Alexa Graham (UNC) def. #120 Emma Kurtz (VAN) 6-3, 6-4
Amanda Meyer (VAN) def. #32 Jessie Aney (UNC) 6-3, 6-2
Summer Dvorak (VAN) def. Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
Order of Finish: 5, 1, 4, 3, 6, 2
Doubles Results
#9 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham (UNC) def. #23 Astra Sharma/Fernanda Contreras (VAN) 7-6 (5)
#20 Sara Daavettila/Alle Sanford (UNC) def. Emma Kurtz/Emily Smith (VAN) 7-6 (5)
Christina Rosca/Amanda Meyer (VAN) def. Marika Akkerman/Makenna Jones (UNC) 6-4
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
The loss marks the first time since Feb. 4, 2014 against Texas A&M that the Tar Heels have dropped a non-conference match at home.
The Tar Heels began the afternoon strong, capturing a dramatic doubles point to kick off the match. After losing on court three, North Carolina captured comeback wins from the duos of No. 9 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham and No. 20 Sara Daavettila/Alle Sanford to fire up the crowd.
The clinching win came on court two where Sanford and Daavettila fought back from down 5-1 to win 7-6 in a tiebreaker.
However, after dropping the doubles point, visiting Vanderbilt (7-2) hit the court in singles play and took control of the day's action.
The Commodores quickly got on the board with wins from Amanda Meyer and No. 56 Astra Sharma, giving Vanderbilt a 2-1 lead. But #93 Alexa Graham and #28 Sara Daavettila won back-to-back sets on courts four and three, respectively, to put the Heels back on top.
Graham was a 6-3, 6-4 straight-set winner over #120 Emma Kurtz, while Daavettila was pushed to straight sets against #24 Christina Rosca but prevailed, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Both Graham and Daavettila improved to a perfect 12-0 in dual matches this spring season.
After Chloe Ouellet-Pizer fell in three sets on court six, the deciding point would come on court two. No. 15 Makenna Jones went up 5-2 in the third set, just a point away from clinching a North Carolina win, but No. 5 Fernanda Contreras fought all the way back and managed to win 7-4 in a tiebreaker set to send Vanderbilt home the winner.
North Carolina will host Boston College on Friday for a 3 p.m. ACC matchup in Chapel Hill.
#1 North Carolina 4, #7 Vanderbilt 3
Singles Results
#56 Astra Sharma (VAN) def. #8 Alle Sanford (UNC) 6-3, 6-4
#5 Fernanda Contreras (VAN) def. #15 Makenna Jones (UNC) 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4)
#28 Sara Daavettila (UNC) def. #24 Christina Rosca (VAN) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
#93 Alexa Graham (UNC) def. #120 Emma Kurtz (VAN) 6-3, 6-4
Amanda Meyer (VAN) def. #32 Jessie Aney (UNC) 6-3, 6-2
Summer Dvorak (VAN) def. Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
Order of Finish: 5, 1, 4, 3, 6, 2
Doubles Results
#9 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham (UNC) def. #23 Astra Sharma/Fernanda Contreras (VAN) 7-6 (5)
#20 Sara Daavettila/Alle Sanford (UNC) def. Emma Kurtz/Emily Smith (VAN) 7-6 (5)
Christina Rosca/Amanda Meyer (VAN) def. Marika Akkerman/Makenna Jones (UNC) 6-4
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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