North Carolina Women’s Tennis Team Battles Against Virginia in Away Match
The No. 6 North Carolina women’s tennis team (3-1) faced a tough challenge on Monday afternoon, suffering a defeat against No. 9 Virginia (4-0) in their first away match of the season.
The Tar Heels started strong, securing two out of three doubles matches to claim the doubles point. However, Virginia responded decisively in singles play, winning three matches with relative ease. North Carolina’s talented sophomores, Tatum Evans and Thea Rabman, rallied to win their respective singles matches, leveling the score at 3-3.
The decisive match came down to first-year player Claire Hill, who narrowly lost in a dramatic tie-breaking set, ending with a score of 6-4.
Doubles Performances
In the doubles competition, UNC’s first-year Susanna Maltby and senior Carson Tanguilig faced an early deficit, falling behind by three games. Despite a valiant effort that allowed them to win one game, the Tar Heels ultimately succumbed to Virginia, finishing at 6-1, marking Virginia’s first victory of the match.
Meanwhile, UNC’s duo of Reese Brantmeier and first-year Alanis Hamilton initially struggled, losing the first set point. However, they quickly regrouped, winning four consecutive games. With Virginia’s Annabelle Xu and Martina Genis Salas closing in to make it a 5-4 game, Brantmeier executed a powerful net shot to secure a 6-4 win, tying the doubles score at 1-1.
Evans and Rabman provided the crucial momentum, overcoming their opponents in a closely contested match. Both teams showcased impressive cross-court groundstrokes, but Evans and Rabman managed to clinch a two-game run while leading, ultimately winning 6-3, which earned UNC the doubles point.
Singles Showdown
In singles action, Brantmeier faced Virginia’s Xu and initially fell behind by two games. Adapting her strategy, the Tar Heels’ No. 1 seed moved toward the net whenever possible, a tactic that paid off as she secured her first game win. Brantmeier’s aggressive approach highlighted the Tar Heels’ effort to rebound and turn the match in their favor.
