Carolina Wins Back-To-Back-To-Back ACC Titles

Sunday, April 29

Cary, N.C.

10:00 AM

North Carolina

Duke

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

April 29, 2018 | Women's Tennis

Photo Gallery

By: Mark Kimmel

CARY, North Carolina - The North Carolina women's tennis team won its third consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference Championship on Sunday by defeating top seeded Duke, 4-2, at the Cary Tennis Center.

Carolina (26-3) is the first program to win three-straight ACC Championships since Georgia Tech from 2005-07. The Tar Heels' ninth title breaks a tie with Clemson for the second most in league history. UNC won in 2016 the last time the event was held in Cary and was victorious down in Rome, Georgia, in 2017.

The victory also marked the 600th win in the illustrious career of head coach Brian Kalbas, who now boasts four ACC titles since 2011.

"This year has been such a team effort. Great work ethic, great chemistry and great effort all season," said Kalbas. "This one feels really special also because we've never beaten Duke in the ACC's in my time at Carolina.

"I love this team. To see us battle back from losing the doubles point in every match this weekend. They have such an incredible work ethic and an attitude about themselves."

Sophomore Makenna Jones was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after posting a 3-0 record at No. 1 singles and 3-0 at No. 3 doubles with playing partner Marika Akkerman. She also improves to 11-0 at No. 1 singles and extends her winning streak to 15 in a row this spring.

UNC coughed up the doubles point in all three matches this weekend in Cary. Sunday saw Akkerman and Jones win on court three, 6-4, but Duke's fifth-ranked tandem of Kelly Chen and Samantha Harris won on court two, 7-5, to give their team the early 1-0 edge.

Jones took advantage of an injured Harris on court one singles to knot the score at 1-1. Harris was forced to retire on Saturday against Miami and was clearly battling a wrist issue against the seventh ranked Jones, who won easily, 6-1, 6-0.

Duke (22-3) briefly took the lead back with a win on court five, but Chloe Ouellet-Pizer posted her third win of the weekend on court six to make it 2-all.

No. 27 Alle Sanford lifted Carolina into the lead for the first time with a 7-6, 7-5, victory over No. 54 Meible Chi on court two. It was a different story from the last time these two went head-to-head just nine days ago. Chi took down the Tar Heel rookie in straight sets during the Blue Devils 5-2 win on April 20 in Durham.

The last two remaining matches on courts three and four dragged the match near the four-hour mark. Carolina's No. 92 Alexa Graham and No. 28 Kelly Chen took their match on four all the way to a third-set tiebreaker.

Meanwhile, UNC's No. 41 Sara Daavettila and No. 105 Kaitlyn McCarthy were locked up in a 5-5 third set on court three.

Graham had multiple opportunities to clinch the title up 6-4 in the tiebreaker, but Chen wouldn't give in and tied it up at 6-all. As Chen was about to serve on court four, her teammate McCarthy double faulted on court three to end the match in favor of the Tar Heels.

North Carolina 4, Duke 2
Singles Competition
1. #7 Makenna Jones (UNC) def. #6 Samantha Harris (DU) 6-1, 6-0
2. #27 Alle Sanford (UNC) def. #54 Meible Chi (DU) 7-6, 7-5
3. #41 Sara Daavettila (UNC) def. #105 Kaitlyn McCarthy (DU) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5
4. #92 Alexa Graham (UNC) vs. #28 Kelly Chen (DU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-6 (6-6), unfinished
5. #118 Ellyse Hamlin (DU) def. #96 Jessie Aney (UNC) 6-2, 7-6
6. Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) def. Hannah Zhao (DU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2

Order of Finish: 1, 5, 6, 2, 3

Doubles Competition
1. #12 Ellyse Hamlin/Kaitlyn McCarthy (DU) def. #3 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham (UNC) 6-1
2. #5 Kelly Chen/Samantha Harris (DU) def. #22 Sara Daavettila/Alle Sanford (UNC) 7-5
3. Marika Akkerman/Makenna Jones (NC) def. Meible Chi/Hannah Zhao (DU) 6-4

Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2

Match Notes
Start Time: 10:04 am
Notes: Finished at 1:47 pm, the longest match of the tournament.