North Carolina
Maryland
No. 21 Tar Heels Ease Past Maryland, 4-0
April 16, 2009 | Women's Tennis
April 16, 2009
CARY, N.C. --- Sixth-seeded North Carolina won the doubles point and claimed three straight-set singles victories to advance past 11th-seeded Maryland, 4-0, Thursday afternoon in the first round of the ACC Women's Tennis Championship at the Cary Tennis Park. Sanaz Marand, Jelena Durisic and Laura Reichert each claimed singles wins after the Tar Heels took a pair of doubles matches at the top two positions. UNC will face third-seeded Clemson Friday at 3 p.m. for a spot in the semifinals.
After dropping the doubles point in three consecutive matches, Carolina (17-9) had no trouble jumping out to an early lead against the Terrapins (4-18). Marand and Sophie Grabinski, who moved up to No. 3 in the latest ITA national doubles poll, were first off at the top position with an 8-2 win over Maggie Mackeever and Karin Lundmark. Austin Smith and Katrina Tsang then sealed the point with an 8-2 win over Michal Amir and Lisa Miller at No. 2.
A trio of straight-set wins in singles moved the Tar Heels into Friday's quarterfinals. Marand, ranked No. 23 in the most recent ITA singles poll, won her eighth straight at the top of the lineup, 6-3, 6-1 over Eleanor Peters, to push UNC to a 2-0 lead.
Laura Reichert then finished off Miller at No. 5, 6-1, 6-2, to make it 3-0 before Jelena Durisic sealed the victory with a 6-2, 6-2 triumph over Mackeever at No. 4.
Tsang, Smith and Meg Fanjoy all led in their matches before the dual was abandoned.
UNC, which lost a tight 5-2 decision to Clemson in the regular season finale on April 11, will get another shot at the No. 11 Lady Tigers Friday at 3 p.m.
No. 21 North Carolina 4, Maryland 0
Doubles
1. No. 3 Marand/Sophie Grabinski (NC) def. Mackeever/Lundmark, 8-2
2. No. 41 Smith/Tsang (NC) def. Amir/Miller, 8-2
3. Fanjoy/Reichert (NC) vs. Peters/Hansbrough, DNF
Order of finish: 1, 2
Singles
1. No. 23 Sanaz Marand (NC) def. Eleanor Peters, 6-3, 6-1
2. No. 62 Katrina Tsang (NC) vs. Michael Amir, DNF
3. Austin Smith (NC) vs. Karin Lundmark, DNF
4. Jelena Durisic (NC) def. Maggie Mackeever, 6-2, 6-2
5. Laura Reichert (NC) def. Lisa Miller, 6-1, 6-2
6. Meg Fanjoy (NC) vs. Jordan Hansbrough, DNF
Order of finish: 1, 5, 4
Players Mentioned
