After joining the 32-team event as late replacements, the Tar Heel duo of Sara Daavettila and Alle Sanford made the most of their opportunity on Thursday in Winston-Salem–knocking off Texas Tech’s Sarah Dvorak and Sabrina Federici 6-2, 6-4 to move on to the NCAA Women’s Tennis Doubles Tournament Round of 16.

It was quite the development for both Daavettila and Sanford, who were each eliminated from the singles tournament in the first round on Wednesday, as they were only added to the doubles tournament after the Duke duo of Samantha Harris and Kelly Chen were a late scratch Thursday morning.

With all three Tar Heels originally slated to play in the singles tournament already eliminated, Daavettila and Sanford represent UNC’s last hope to take home any tournament glory this spring on the women’s side.

Although Alexa Graham and Jessie Aney entered the doubles event as the No. 2 overall seed, they were promptly upset in the opening round on Thursday by a score of 6-2, 6-4 against Vanderbilt’s Astra Sharma and Fernanda Contreras.

This leaves Daavettila and Sanford to take the court again on Friday against Georgia’s team of Mariana Gould and Katarina Jokic. That match is set for a 12:30 p.m. start.

 

 

 

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

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