For three months, a span that includes 21 matches and a perfect 17-0 ACC record, the No. 3 UNC women’s tennis team has consistently found a way to top its competition.
That narrative came crashing to a sudden halt Thursday morning in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the Michael Case Tennis Center–when the No. 14 Virginia Cavaliers shocked the Tar Heels 4-2 in the NCAA Tournament round of 16.
The nation’s No. 12 player, Virginia’s Julia Elbaba, put the finishing touches on the upset by defeating No. 41 Whitney Kay, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, in a three-set thriller.
They battled for over three hours, but head coach Brian Kalbas’s Tar Heels came up just a bit short on a day that required a number of clutch performances.
Danielle Collins, a former NCAA champion in singles competition, played a large role in Virginia’s doubles victory over UNC. (Dailyprogress.com)
After losing the doubles point for just the third time all year, UNC (31-3) recovered to take a 2-1 lead during singles competition with strong play from Ashley Dai and Marika Akkerman.
Akkerman finished first with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Erica Susi, while Dai defeated Cassie Mercer 6-2, 6-3 shortly after.
The Cavaliers (19-10) then tied it up 2-2 with a 6-3, 6-1 victory by Meghan Kelley over the Tar Heels’ Kate Vialle.
Each of the other three singles matches, though, needed three sets to decide a winner.
UNC freshman Jessie Aney, ranked No. 57, won her first set, 6-3, against Virginia senior Stephanie Nauta. Nauta recovered, however, and took the match by winning each of the next two sets 6-0, 6-0.
This left the Tar Heels’ fate in the hands of their two best players–Kay and No. 1 Hayley Carter.
Each would need to pull out wins for UNC to advance, while Virginia needed to win just one of the final two matches to punch its ticket to the quarterfinals.
Locked in a battle between the country’s top two players, Carter was leading her match with No. 2 Danielle Collins, 6-4, 2-6, 5-4, when Elbaba finished off Kay and clinched the team victory for Virginia.
Trailing 4-3 in the final set against Elbaba, Kay had three opportunities for a break point–which would have tied the set 4-4.
Momentum swung back Virginia’s way, however, as Elbaba recovered to win both the game and the match for her team.
The Tar Heels could only watch as their opponents–who they had previously beaten twice this season–celebrated on the court afterwards.
Match Notes:
- The Tar Heels finish the year 1-2 in matches where they lost the doubles point.
- Virginia’s Danielle Collins and Meghan Kelley–the No. 18 doubles team–knocked off UNC’s Hayley Carter and Whitney Kay–the No. 2 doubles team– by a score of 6-4.
- Elbaba is the all-time leader in singles wins for Virginia, with over 130 in her career. She has also been named All-ACC First Team in each of the last four years.
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