University of North Carolina Athletics
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Women's Tennis Defeats Iowa to Advance in the NCAA Tournament
May 12, 2001 | Women's Tennis
May 12, 2001
ERKELEY, CA - The University of North Carolina women's tennis team defeated the University of Iowa 4-1 Saturday in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Tar Heels lost the doubles point before winning four consecutive singles matches to clinch the victory. The final two singles matches did not finish because the match had been decided.
Marlene Mejia, Julie Rotondi, Kate Pinchbeck, and Elina Bairos were victorious in straight sets, earning the victory for Carolina. Mejia handled Iowa's Toni Neykova 6-0, 6-1 at No. 1 singles. In the No. 2 slot, Julie Rotondi topped the Hawkeyes' Deni Alexandrova 6-4, 6-1. Pinchbeck continued the Tar Heels domination at the top of the singles lineup, defeating Steffi Hoch, 6-1, 6-2. At No. 5 singles, freshman Elina Bairos downed Megan Kearney 7-5, 6-3.
In doubles action, Marlene Mejia and Julie Rotondi beat Iowa's team of Kearney/ Scheldt, 8-3, in the No. 2 match. Iowa's Neykova/Alexandrova earned a hard fought 9-7 victory over Kendrick Bunn and Kate Pinchbeck at 1st singles. At third doubles, Iowa's pairing of Hoch/Johnson defeated Courtney Zalinski and Elina Bairos, 8-5.
The NCAA tournament victory is UNC's second in three years. In 1999, the Tar Heels defeated the University of Washington, 5-4, in the first round before falling to the University of Mississippi. Last season, the Tar Heels were eliminated in the first round by the University of Arkansas.
Carolina will play the winner of Saturday afternoon's match between Loyola (Md.) and California. That match will be at 1 p.m.(EST) Sunday at the Hellman Tennis Courts in Berkeley, California.
SINGLES:
No. 1 Marlene Mejia def. Toni Neykova(Iowa) 6-0, 6-1
No. 2 Julie Rotondi def. Deni Alexandrova(Iowa) 6-4, 6-1
No. 3 Kate Pinchbeck def. Steffi Hoch(Iowa) 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 Kristin Koenig vs. Erica Johnson(Iowa) DNF
No. 5 Elina Bairos def. Megan Kearney(Iowa) 7-5, 6-3
No. 6 Courtney Zalinski vs. Pascale Veraverbeke(Iowa) DNF
DOUBLES:
No. 1 Neykova/Alexandrova(Iowa) def. Bunn/Pinchbeck 9-7
No. 2 Mejia/Rotondi def. Kearney/Scheldt(Iowa) 8-3
No. 3 Hoch/Johnson(Iowa) def. Zalinski/Bairos 8-5
