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First-years stand out for UNC women's tennis at Kitty Harrison Invitational

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First-year Kacie Harvey returns the ball in a singles match against NC State at the 2019 Kitty Harrison Invitational hosted by UNC at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019. 8 teams competed in the multi-day tournament, and UNC

The North Carolina women’s tennis team demonstrated its formidable young core this weekend as it hosted the 16th annual Kitty Harrison Invitational at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. 

First-year duo of Anika Yarlagadda and Kacie Harvey picked up some confidence-building victories to jumpstart their college careers while sophomore Sophia Patel added some necessary experience for the Tar Heels in the eight-team tournament comprised of some of the nation's top teams.

What happened?

Day 1:

Yarlagadda kickstarted things for the Tar Heels on Friday, adding both singles and doubles victories to her nascent collegiate resume. In her doubles matches, Yarlagadda teamed up with Harvey to defeat Tulane's team 8-4. She then paired with Patel and saw similar success against William & Mary's team in a 8-2 doubles win. 

On the singles end, Yarlagadda took down senior Rifanty Kahfiani from the University of Oregon in a 6-3, 6-0 victory on the outdoor courts to end an undefeated day for the No. 1 recuit from Michigan. Fellow first-year Harvey continued the trend of young Tar Heels dominated older Oregon Ducks, defeating senior Julia Eshet 6-4, 6-0 to close out the day. 

Day 2:

Friday’s success carried over into Saturday, as UNC continued to pick up quality wins over talented players from Power-5 conferences. 

Harvey beat out ACC rival Camille Favero from UVA to begin her day, cruising to a 6-3, 6-2 victory. Yarlagadda followed the lead of her fellow first year and defeated Virginia’s Chloe Gullickson, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Gullickson was ranked No. 90 in the nation prior to her match with Yarlagadda. 

The doubles pairing of Harvey and Patel then proceeded to protect their home court in a match against Notre Dame. Their 8-3 win established UNC as the preeminent force in this tournament in both singles and doubles.

Day 3:

In the third and final day of the tournament, N.C. State got the better of UNC in two out of three matches. With doubles play concluding on Saturday, Sunday’s action was solely comprised of singles play from Harvey, Yarlagadda, and Patel.

Harvey handled her business against N.C. State’s Lana Mavor, posting a 6-3, 7-5 victory to secure a perfect 3-0 singles record for the weekend. 

Yarlagadda and Patel both fell to their in-state Wolfpack opponents, but Yarlagadda was able to walk away from the tournament with a promising 2-1 record in both singles and doubles play. 

Who stood out?

While both first-years proved their ability on the court, it was Harvey who stood out for UNC this weekend. The No. 16 ranked recruit for the Tar Heels’ 2019 signing class, Harvey handled each and every opponent thrown her way this weekend. Her ability to compete with seniors from the ACC and PAC-12 show signs of an ascendant career for the standout first-year.

Why does it matter?

The experience on this Tar Heel squad is unquestioned, with senior Sara Daavettila and Alexa Graham anchoring the team with crucial big-match experience. But for the team’s new additions, opportunities like this fall tournament will sew the seeds to continued success for head coach Brian Kalbas’ program.

When do they play next?

UNC will close out its fall campaign at the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships in Newport Beach, California from November 6-10. 

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