Women's Tennis Edged by Top-Ranked North Carolina, 4-3
April 17, 2010
Results | Complete Results (PDF) 
Chapel Hill, N.C. – The top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels snagged the doubles point and grabbed a win at No. 1 singles to secure a 4-3 victory over visiting No. 11 Miami in ACC women’s tennis action on Saturday at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Miami (16-4, 9-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) looked to grab its 14th consecutive win entering Saturday, and lay claim to its second straight league title. However, the Hurricanes would have to defeat the nation’s top ranked team in the process.
North Carolina (23-3, 10-0 ACC) grabbed the doubles point to move ahead early in the match, 1-0.
The Tar Heels rode the strength of Shinann Featherston and Jocelyn Ffriend at the No. 3 slot to defeat Miami’s team of Anna Bartenstein and Claudia Wasilewski, 8-4. At the No. 2 position, Miami’s team of Bianca Eichkorn and Danielle Mills was unable to find victory, falling to UNC’s team of Sophie Grabinski and Jelena Durisic in a thrilling match, 9-7, and securing the doubles point for the Tar Heels.
Miami’s lone win in doubles play came at the top flight position, riding the backs of the nation’s sixth-ranked team of Gabriela Mejia and Laura Vallverdu to turn in a 9-8(1) decision over UNC’s Sanaz Marand and Katrina Tsang. As a tandem, Mejia and Vallverdu collected their 20th win of the season, moving to 9-3 in the spring, and laying claim to their sixth consecutive win in the top doubles spot for the `Canes.
In singles play, UNC rolled to a 2-0 advantage in the match when Gina Suarez-Malaguti defeated Miami freshman Danielle Mills at the No. 4 position, using a straight-set 6-2, 6-2 advantage. The `Canes cut into that lead at the No. 5 spot, using the strength of sophomore and 96th-ranked Gabriela Mejia, as she registered her 14th consecutive win by virtue of a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over UNC’s Shinann Featherston. For Mejia, the win moved her 2009-10 record out to 25-3 (19-1 dual), while bringing the Hurricanes to within 2-1 in the match.
The Tar Heels would not allow the lead to shrink any further as 118th-ranked Sophie Grabinski walked off the courts next after posting a 7-6(4), 6-2 win over UM senior Claudia Wasilewski at the No. 6 position. That would stake UNC to a 3-1 lead in the match.
However, the visiting Hurricanes proved resilient at the No. 2 position where 34th-ranked Bianca Eichkorn tallied a 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 victory over UNC’s 42nd-ranked Katrina Tsang. The win increased Eichkorn’s record to 24-4 overall, and kept her spring record clean at 19-0. Eichkorn has now collected 20 consecutive wins dating back to the fall season.
With Miami trailing in the match, 3-2, all eyes turned to the No. 1 singles spot, while the fight was on at No. 3 singles as well.
After winning the first set, Miami senior and sixth-ranked Laura Vallverdu was unable to seize momentum, falling 6-2, 6-2 in the next two sets to UNC’s 30th-ranked Sanaz Marand at the top position. The win for Marand captured the match victory for the Tar Heels, and snapped Miami’s 13-match winning streak entering Saturday.
“North Carolina just came out and played good tennis today,” said UM head women’s tennis coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews. “They played well at certain positions when they needed to, and they were able to step their game up to another level in order to get the win.”
The final match of the day concluded on court three, seeing UM sophomore Anna Bartenstein, ranked 79th nationally, capture a 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 thriller from UNC’s Jelena Durisic at the No. 3 position. Bartenstein improves to a team-leading 28 wins on the day, now sitting at 28-4 overall on the year (18-2 dual). She also picked up her eighth straight singles win.
The Hurricanes women’s tennis team returns to the courts on Sun., Apr. 18, traveling to seventh-ranked and defending national champion Duke in Durham at 1 p.m. Live stats for the match are available by clicking here.
“We’re looking forward to playing Duke tomorrow,” continued Yaroshuk-Tews. “It’s going to be a huge match, and we would be coming out of the weekend on a real positive note if we can get the win tomorrow against the defending national champs.”
No. 1 North Carolina 4, No. 11 Miami 3
Singles
1. #30 Sanaz Marand (UNC) def. #6 Laura Vallverdu (UM) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2
2. #34 Bianca Eichkorn (UM) def. #42 Katrina Tsang (UNC) 6-0, 5-7, 6-1
3. #79 Anna Bartenstein (UM) def. Jelena Durisic (UNC) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
4. Gina Suarez-Malaguti (UNC) def. Danielle Mills (UM) 6-2, 6-2
5. #96 Gabriela Mejia (UM) def. Shinann Featherston (UNC) 6-3, 6-2
6. #118 Sophie Grabinski (UNC) def. Claudia Wasilewski (UM) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
Order of Finish: (4, 5, 6, 2, 1*, 3)
Doubles
1. #6 Gabriela Mejia/Laura Vallverdu (UM) def. Sanaz Marand/Katrina Tsang (UNC) 9-8 (7-1)
2. Sophie Grabinski/Jelena Durisic (UNC) def. Bianca Eichkorn/Danielle Mills (UM) 9-7
3. Shinann Featherston/Jocelyn Ffriend (UNC) def. Anna Bartenstein/Claudia Wasilewski (UM) 8-4
Order of Finish: (3, 2*, 1)
