North Carolina
William & Mary
No. 18 Carolina Sweeps Its Way Into ITA Nationals
February 1, 2009 | Women's Tennis
Feb. 1, 2009
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. --- No. 18 North Carolina advanced to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships with a convincing 7-0 win over No. 27 William and Mary Sunday afternoon at the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center. For the second day in a row the Tar Heels captured momentum by winning the doubles point and took care of business in singles play to advance. With the win, UNC will be one of 16 teams to play in the national event Feb. 13-16 in Madison, Wis.
Carolina (4-0) made quick work of the host Tribe in doubles, dropping just three games in a pair of wins at the Nos. 2 and 3 positions. No. 12 Katrina Tsang and Shinann Featherston were first off at No. 2, defeating Klaudyna Kasztelaniec and Barbara Zidek, 8-1. The senior tandem of Meg Fanjoy and Laura Reichert sealed the point at No. 3, taking care of Katie Kargl and Carmen Pop, 8-2.
The Tar Heels showed their depth in singles, winning the bottom three matches in impressive fashion to seal the team victory. Reichert steamrolled Zidek at No. 6, 6-0, 6-0, to make it 2-0, before Featherston finished off Pop, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 3 to move the visitors within one of the win.
Senior Sophie Grabinski would provide the clinching point, dispatching Kargl in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.
After the match was decided, senior Austin Smith and junior Sanaz Marand each picked up wins over ranked opponents. Smith defeated No. 79 Ragini Acharya in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, while Marand needed a lengthy tiebreaker to dispose of No. 95 Katarina Zoricic at the top position, 6-2, 6-7 (2), 13-11. Sophomore Jelena Durisic was also triumphant at No. 3 singles, defeating Kasztelaniec in three sets, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Carolina will make its sixth consecutive appearance in the ITA National Indoor Championships, the most prestigious in-season event in collegiate tennis. Last season was especially memorable for UNC, as the Tar Heels scored a pair of dramatic wins over Pac-10 powers UCLA and USC.
Next up for Carolina is the ACC opener against in-state rival NC State. That match, set for Feb. 6 in Raleigh, is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
No. 18 UNC 7, No. 27 William and Mary 0
Doubles1. No. 15 Marand/Grabinski (UNC) led No. 37 Acharya/Zoricic (W&M) - 6-4, abandoned
2. No. 12 Tsang/Featherston (UNC) def. Kasztelaniec/Zidek (W&M) - 8-1
3. Fanjoy/Reichert (UNC) def. Kargl/Pop (W&M) - 8-2
Finishing Order: 2, 3*
Singles
1. No. 47 Sanaz Marand (UNC) def. No. 95 Katarina Zoricic (W&M) - 6-2, 6-7(2), 13-11
2. No. 103 Austin Smith (UNC) def. No. 79 Ragini Acharya (W&M) - 6-2, 6-3
3. Jelena Durisic (UNC) def. Klaudyna Kasztelaniec (W&M) - 1-6, 6-1, 6-4
4. Sophie Grabinski (UNC) def. Katie Kargl (W&M) - 6-1, 6-1
5. No. 83 Shinann Featherston (UNC) def. Carmen Pop (W&M) - 6-2, 6-3
6. Laura Reichert (UNC) def. Barbara Zidek (W&M) - 6-0, 6-0
Finishing Order: 6, 5, 4*, 2, 3, 1
Players Mentioned
