Canes Fall in Close Match with No. 8 UNC

CORAL GABLES Fla.- The No. 7 University of Miami women’s tennis team lost a highly competitive contest, 4-3, to the No. 8 University of North Carolina this Saturday at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in Chapel Hill, NC.

“Unfortunately we came up a few points short in doubles,” said coach Yaroshuk-Tews. “We played amazing tennis at No. 1, 2 and 3 singles but did not compete at the level we must at the 4, 5, and 6 positions. I hope this match serves as a real wake up call at the positions where we need to improve.”

The Canes and Tarheels appeared to be evenly matched in doubles play. Anna Bartenstein and Brittany Dubins took the first victory, 8-3, at the No. 3 position, but UNC countered with an 8-5 defeat of Gabriela Mejia and Lina Lilekite at No. 2. Tied 8-8 at No. 1, Melissa Bolivar and Liat Zimmerman fought hard but could not edge out the No. 4 ranked Featherston/McHale combination, losing 10-8 in a tiebreak.

26th-ranked Mejia would tie the match at 1-1 when singles play got underway. Playing at the No. 1 position, the Miami senior managed to take down 33rd-ranked Lauren McHale in straight sets 6-1, 6-2.

Brittany Dubins won her first set 6-3, but was unable to maintain momentum in the second and third, losing 6-0 and 6-1 respectively. UNC then built upon its lead once more at No. 5 as Zimmerman lost a couple well-contested matches 7-5 and 6-4 to 98th- ranked Caroline Price.

Bartenstein cut the North Carolina lead to one, besting Shinann Featherston 6-3, 7-5 at the No. 2 position, but when Bolivar fell short in the third set of the No. 4 singles contest 6-2, the Tarheels clinched the deciding fourth point.

With the match decided, 110th ranked Lilekite finished battling back against 30th ranked Zoe De Bruycker, pulling off a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 upset. De Bruycker is the highest ranked opponent that the freshman has defeated in her young career with the Hurricanes

Miami will now head home and prepare to host the Virginia Cavaliers next Friday at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

ORDER OF FINISH

Doubles

3, 2, 1

Singles

1, 6, 5, 2, 4, 3