W. Tennis Falls at No. 1 North Carolina
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team dropped a 7-0 decision Saturday afternoon on the road at top-ranked North Carolina.
Due to positive COVID-19 tests, subsequent quarantining and contact tracing within the program, No. 30 Miami had just five available players at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.
“UNC is the best team in the country right now,” Miami associate head coach Alex Santos said. “We have to congratulate them for being better than us today and keep focusing on our own improvement.”
Starting with a 1-0 advantage in doubles play, the Tar Heels quickly sealed the opening point, as Alle Sanford and Reilly Tran defeated second-year freshmen Maya Tahan and Florencia Urrutia, 6-1.
Fifth-year senior Estela Perez-Somarriba and freshman Isabella Pfenning were in a 3-3 deadlock with Sara Daavettila and Cameron Morra when play stopped.
North Carolina (12-0, 3-0 ACC) doubled its lead with a walkover victory at the No. 6 singles spot and then, not long thereafter, added its third point behind a 6-1, 6-1 victory from No. 79 Elizabeth Scotty over Urrutia.
Sporting a 3-0 edge, the Tar Heels won three matches in quick succession to double their lead and clinch the match. First, No. 49 Makenna Jones topped Tahan, 6-3, 6-2, to officially seal the win over Miami (3-4, 1-2 ACC).
No. 120 Fiona Crawley followed that with a 6-0, 6-4 result against second-year freshman Diana Khodan and then sixth-ranked Morra edged Pfennig, 6-3, 6-3, in the first singles setback of the latter’s young career.
The lone remaining match, a top-five showdown, was early in the second set when the others all ended. It eventually went to a decisive 10-point tiebreaker that needed 24 total points to determine a winner, with fourth-ranked Daavettila eventually earning a 6-7 (5-7), 6-0, 1-0 (13-11) win over second-ranked Perez-Somarriba.
Daavettila is just the second player, alongside former FIU star Andrea Lazaro, to defeat Perez-Somarriba twice during her decorated collegiate career.
The Hurricanes are back in action Sunday at noon when they square off with eighth-ranked Duke in Durham, N.C.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
RESULTS
Doubles Competition
1. Estela Perez-Somarriba/Isabella Pfennig (UM) vs. Sara Daavettila/Cameron Morra (NC), 3-3, unf.
2. Alle Sanford/Reilly Tran (NC) def. Maya Tahan/Florencia Urrutia (UM), 6-1
3. Makenna Jones/Elizabeth Scotty (NC) win by walkover
Singles Competition
1. No. 4 Sara Daavettila (NC) def. No. 2 Estela Perez-Somarriba (UM), 6-7 (5-7), 6-0, 1-0 (13-11)
2. No. 6 Cameron Morra (NC) def. Isabella Pfennig (UM), 6-3, 6-3
3. No. 79 Elizabeth Scotty (NC) def. Florencia Urrutia (UM), 6-1, 6-1
4. No. 49 Makenna Jones (NC) def. Maya Tahan (UM), 6-3, 6-2
5. No. 120 Fiona Crawley (NC) def. Diana Khodan (UM), 6-1, 6-4
6. Anika Yarlagadda (NC) wins by walkover
