Women's Tennis Advances To Final Four With 4-2 Win Over LSU

Thursday, May 15

Waco, Texas

2 PM

North Carolina

LSU (quarterfinal)

Freshman Claire Hill

Photo by: MARIO TERRANA

May 15, 2025 | Women's Tennis

Bracket Results (.pdf)Photo Gallery

By: Matt Bowers

WACO, TEXAS—Freshman Claire Hill clinched the winning point as fifth-seeded North Carolina moved past No. 13 seed LSU, 4-2, in an NCAA quarterfinal match on Thursday at the Hurd Tennis Center.

The Tar Heels won the doubles point, then overcame an injury to ACC Player of the Year Reese Brantmeier by winning three of four singles decisions to advance to the final four for the fifth time in the last six NCAA Tournaments and seventh time overall.

Carson Tanguilig, Tatum Evans and Hill won their singles matches for Carolina.

UNC will meet top-seeded Georgia on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the semifinal round. The Bulldogs lost the doubles point but came back to beat eighth-seeded Duke, 4-1, in Thursday's first quarterfinal match. Earlier this season, the Tar Heels earned a 4-3 indoor win over the top-ranked Bulldogs in Athens, Ga., on February 1.

UNC has won 12 consecutive matches and improved to 27-4 this season. LSU's season ends at 24-8.

After a bit of a slow start, the Tar Heels won a tightly-contested doubles point by sweeping all three decisions. At No. 2 doubles, the All-America team of Susanna Maltby and Tanguilig, ranked No. 16 nationally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, cruised past Kinna Graham and Anita Sahdiieva, 6-3. Maltby and Tanguilig trailed, 2-1, before roaring back for the win.

At No. 3, Evans and Theadora Rabman dropped two early break points and trailed, 3-0, to start the match then rallied to win, 7-5, and clinch the doubles point. At the No. 1 position, Carolina's second-ranked duo of Brantmeier and Alanis Hamilton were impressive in a 7-6 (4) win over fifth-ranked Cadence Brace and Kayla Cross.

Carolina then took a blow when Brantmeier was forced to retire in the first set of her singles match, tying the score at 1-all. She trailed, 3-2, at No. 1 versus No. 11 Brace when she retired. The defeat snapped Brantmeier's 18-match winning streak.

"Credit to the team," head coach Brian Kalbas said to Cracked Racquets after the match. "I know it was tough when you lose your number one player so early in the first set. Credit to Carson and Tatum and Thea, who were playing right next to her [Brantmeier] and stayed focused."

The Tar Heels won first sets in four of the remaining five singles matches and rallied to pick up the slack after Brantmeier's departure.

Tanguilig struck first with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 win over Graham, taking the win on a double fault to give Carolina a 2-1 lead. After LSU tied at 2-2 with a win at No. 4, Evans and Hill won in quick succession to clinch the team victory.

FINAL SCORE: #5 seed North Carolina 4, #13 seed LSU 2
Thursday, May 15, 2025
2025 NCAA Championship Quarterfinal
Waco, Texas (Hurd Tennis Center)

Match Results
DOUBLES
1) #2 Reese Brantmeier/Alanis Hamilton (UNC) def. #5 Cadence Brace/Kayla Cross (LSU), 7-6 (4)
2) #16 Susanna Maltby/Carson Tanguilig (UNC) def. Kinna Graham/Anita Sahdiieva (LSU), 6-3
3) Tatum Evans/Theadora Rabman (UNC) def. Tilwith Di Girolami/Gaby Rivera (LSU), 7-5

Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1

SINGLES
1) #11 Cadence Brace (LSU) def. #3 Reese Brantmeier (UNC), 3-2 (ret.)
2) #24 Theadora Rabman (UNC) led #49 Kayla Cross (LSU), 6-3, 5-4 (40-15) (unfinished)
3) #63 Tatum Evans (UNC) def. Tilwith Di Girolami (LSU), 6-1, 6-2
4) Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) def. Alanis Hamilton (UNC), 6-3, 6-1
5) #43 Carson Tanguilig (UNC) def. vs. Kinaa Graham (LSU), 6-1, 6-1
6) Claire Hill (UNC) def. Gabby Rivera (LSU), 6-4, 6-3

Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4, 3, 6