The No. 1 North Carolina women’s tennis team lost a close 4-3 match against No.7 Vanderbilt on Sunday at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center for its first loss of the season.
What happened?
In doubles play, the Tar Heels (12-1) took an early lead after a couple of close matches.
To open up the competition, teammates Makenna Jones and Marika Akkeman lost their double match, 6-4.
No. 9 doubles partners Jessie Aney and Alexa Graham, the second finishers, looked good against Vanderbilt, and led 5-4 early. But the game remained close as the Commodores tied it up at 5-5 and 6-6 to force a tiebreaker point, that ended in favor of UNC with a 7-5 score.
The No. 20 doubles players Sara Daavettila and Alle Sanford clinched the doubles point. The players rallied back from a 5-1 deficit, winning five straight games to lead 6-5. When Vanderbilt fought to even the score 6-6 to force another tiebreaker, Daavettila and Sanford secured the victory 7-6.
Heading into individual play, the Tar Heels had an early 1-0 lead.
In individual play, the Tar Heel lost momentum, starting off slow while Vanderbilt won four of the six opening sets. The only two Tar Heels successful in their first set was No.28 Daavetilla and No. 93 Graham, who both won the first set, 6-3.
Aney lost in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2 to give the Commodores their first point. No.8 Sandford also lost in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. With those wins, Vanderbilt took a 2-1 lead.