UNC blanks first ACC foe

With all six of North Carolina’s players winning their singles matches in straight sets, the women’s tennis team took its ACC opener against Virginia Tech on Wednesday with a 7-0 sweep.

The Tar Heels (8-2, 1-0 in the ACC), now ranked No. 9 after a win against Kentucky on Saturday, have gotten off to a fast start.

“Last year we started off so poorly, it was nice to start off the season with a win in the ACC,” said Coach Brian Kalbas. “After coming off a win like Kentucky, where we had no adversity, it was nice to struggle a little in a few matches.”

The adversity Wednesday came from the No. 1 seed singles match between Tar Heel Kendall Cline and Virginia Tech’s Anat Elazari and the No. 3 singles match between Hokie Jessica Long and UNC’s Jenna Long.

After North Carolina won the doubles point, Cline ended up winning 7-5, 6-2, while Jenna Long defeated her opponent 7-5, 7-6.

At the No. 2 seed, UNC’s Aniela Mojzis defeated Ashley James, 6-1, 6-2. In the fourth-seeded match, North Carolina’s Caitlin Collins beat Bethan James, 6-2, 6-2. Sara Anundsen defeated Hokie Kate Harrington, 6-2, 6-1, at the No. 5 seed, and Alexandra Jurewitz took down Virginia Tech’s Meredith Holmes, 6-2, 7-5.

“Both of the players (Cline and Long) played today were great fighters and competed to get a lot of balls back,” Kalbas said. “They hadn’t played those type of players, style-wise, in a while.”

Kalbas said it took Cline and Long some time to get their heads into the game.

“Mentally, they both got a lot better today,” he said. “During the outdoor season they are going to be playing against the elements and conditions, and they will be playing longer rallies. (Wednesday) helped them to get into that frame of mind.”

Cline, with her signature roll of toilet paper on her bench, said that the game went well, but got off to a slower start than she would have liked.

“At first I was struggling to get my focus,” Cline said. “ I just wasn’t ready to play a match today. Finally it kind of went my way a little bit, and I was able to actually focus on the tennis instead of having to focus on getting my focus.”

Cline ended up winning her match 7-5, 6-2.

Jenna Long also struggled a little in her singles match. For her it was not the problem of getting her head into the game, but rather keeping it there.

She started out her first set strong, leading five games to none. The set then took a turn as Tech’s Jessica Long tied up the set to 5-5. Jenna Long ultimately won the set 7-5.

The next set was no easier, as the Tar Heel fought the entire time to keep Jessica Long at bay. The pair were the last two players on the court, but Jenna Long ultimately took the match 7-6 to also win in straight sets.

“I felt like I wasn’t moving my feet too well,” Long said. “Usually I’m attacking, and instead I was taking a long time to get to the ball and struggling a little bit. I stayed in there, so it turned out OK.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.