Sunday, March 18
Tallahassee, Fla.
11:00 AM
North Carolina
4
at
3
Florida State
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Graham Rescues No. 1 UNC In 4-3 Win At FSU
March 18, 2018 | Women's Tennis
TALLAHASSEE, Florida - Alexa Graham rescued No. 1 North Carolina from the clutches of defeat with the clinching singles victory in a 4-3 thrilling win at No. 22 Florida State on Sunday
North Carolina (16-1, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) secured its 23rd straight road win against the ACC, but it wasn't easy against an ever improving Seminoles team that fell to 9-6 on the season.
After dropping the doubles point for the first time all season at Miami on Friday, the Tar Heels bounced back with a strong showing to gain the early 1-0 edge.
No. 2 Alexa Graham and Jessie Aney blanked Carla Touly and Ariana Rahmanparast on court one, 6-0, and No. 16 Sara Daavettila and Alle Sanford followed suit on court two with a 6-4 win over No. 53 Petra Hule and Andrea Garcia.
The score quickly moved to 3-0 in favor of the visitors with straight-set singles victories by No. 40 Aney and No. 12 Makenna Jones on courts five and three, respectively.
Florida State, who last beat UNC in 2011, turned the match upside down by winning the next three singles bouts in span of about 10 minutes to knot the score at 3-3. No. 54 Touly earned the equalizing point on court one, 7-5, 6-1 over No. 16 Sanford.
The match would be decided on court four between No. 78 Graham and FSU's Gabriella Castaneda. The Tar Heel sophomore won the opening set 6-4, but was upended in a tiebreaker in the second set to increase the drama a little more heading to the third and final set.
Graham led 2-0, but Castaneda tied it at 2-2. Graham regained control at 4-2 and ultimately remained perfect this spring with a 6-4 win in the third. The Garden City, New York, native is now 16-0 in dual matches and 5-0 against the conference.
Carolina's last ACC road loss came on April 19, 2014 in a 4-3 setback at Clemson.
UNC is back home next weekend for two conference matches. On Saturday, the Tar Heels welcome No. 6 Georgia Tech at 11 a.m. UNC will then face Virginia Tech on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Singles Results
1. #54 Carla Touly (FSU) def. #16 Alle Sanford (UNC) 7-5, 6-1
2. Petra Hule (FSU) def. #24 Sara Daavettila (UNC) 6-4, 6-2
3. #12 Makenna Jones (UNC) def. Nandini Das (FSU) 6-2, 6-0
4. #78 Alexa Graham (UNC) def. Gabriella Castaneda (FSU) 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-4
5. #40 Jessie Aney (UNC) def. Andrea Garcia (FSU) 6-1, 6-2
6. Julia Mikulski (FSU) def. #112 Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 3, 2, 6, 1, 4
Doubles Results
1. #2 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham (UNC) def. Carla Touty/Ariana Rahmanparast (FSU) 6-0
2. #16 Sara Daavettila/Alle Sanford (UNC) def. #53 Petra Hule/Andrea Garcia (FSU) 6-4
3. Marika Akkerman/Makenna Jones (UNC) vs. Nandini Das/Gabriella Castaneda (FSU) 5-4, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 2
North Carolina (16-1, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) secured its 23rd straight road win against the ACC, but it wasn't easy against an ever improving Seminoles team that fell to 9-6 on the season.
After dropping the doubles point for the first time all season at Miami on Friday, the Tar Heels bounced back with a strong showing to gain the early 1-0 edge.
No. 2 Alexa Graham and Jessie Aney blanked Carla Touly and Ariana Rahmanparast on court one, 6-0, and No. 16 Sara Daavettila and Alle Sanford followed suit on court two with a 6-4 win over No. 53 Petra Hule and Andrea Garcia.
The score quickly moved to 3-0 in favor of the visitors with straight-set singles victories by No. 40 Aney and No. 12 Makenna Jones on courts five and three, respectively.
Florida State, who last beat UNC in 2011, turned the match upside down by winning the next three singles bouts in span of about 10 minutes to knot the score at 3-3. No. 54 Touly earned the equalizing point on court one, 7-5, 6-1 over No. 16 Sanford.
The match would be decided on court four between No. 78 Graham and FSU's Gabriella Castaneda. The Tar Heel sophomore won the opening set 6-4, but was upended in a tiebreaker in the second set to increase the drama a little more heading to the third and final set.
Graham led 2-0, but Castaneda tied it at 2-2. Graham regained control at 4-2 and ultimately remained perfect this spring with a 6-4 win in the third. The Garden City, New York, native is now 16-0 in dual matches and 5-0 against the conference.
Carolina's last ACC road loss came on April 19, 2014 in a 4-3 setback at Clemson.
UNC is back home next weekend for two conference matches. On Saturday, the Tar Heels welcome No. 6 Georgia Tech at 11 a.m. UNC will then face Virginia Tech on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Singles Results
1. #54 Carla Touly (FSU) def. #16 Alle Sanford (UNC) 7-5, 6-1
2. Petra Hule (FSU) def. #24 Sara Daavettila (UNC) 6-4, 6-2
3. #12 Makenna Jones (UNC) def. Nandini Das (FSU) 6-2, 6-0
4. #78 Alexa Graham (UNC) def. Gabriella Castaneda (FSU) 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-4
5. #40 Jessie Aney (UNC) def. Andrea Garcia (FSU) 6-1, 6-2
6. Julia Mikulski (FSU) def. #112 Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 3, 2, 6, 1, 4
Doubles Results
1. #2 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham (UNC) def. Carla Touty/Ariana Rahmanparast (FSU) 6-0
2. #16 Sara Daavettila/Alle Sanford (UNC) def. #53 Petra Hule/Andrea Garcia (FSU) 6-4
3. Marika Akkerman/Makenna Jones (UNC) vs. Nandini Das/Gabriella Castaneda (FSU) 5-4, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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