Top-ranked UNC women's tennis rides togetherness to Senior Day win over Duke

Facing its toughest conference opponent of the season in the form of No. 3 Duke, the top-ranked North Carolina women's tennis team focused on playing for each other.

On Senior Day, the Tar Heels' sense of togetherness was on full display when the team clinched a 4-1 win to wrap up an undefeated regular season and an ACC title.

“(The team) played for each other and just really played inspired tennis today against probably one of the hottest teams in the country,” head coach Brian Kalbas said. “(Duke) hadn't lost since probably mid-February. So really, really good victory for us.”

Junior Fiona Crawley and sophomore Carson Tanguilig played in the No. 1 doubles matchup, setting the tone with a decisive 6-1 win. After senior team captain Sophia Patel and senior Elizabeth Scotty fell 2-6, the pressure for the team doubles point rested on the shoulders of junior Reilly Tran and first-year Reese Brantmeier, who had played together only once this season.

Brantmeier and Tran were deadlocked with Duke’s Emma Jackson and Karolina Berankova when Patel and Scotty’s match concluded. So, all eyes turned to court two.   

Thanks to an explosive game at the net for Tran, the UNC duo won a break point and did not give up its lead, allowing the pair to clinch the team point for the Tar Heels in a 6-3 win. 

“She's a beast any time there is a chance to get a racquet on the ball,” Kalbas said. “She had a couple of good lob balls and overheads were strong with Reese's powers in the back.”

In singles play, North Carolina’s momentum continued as the team won five out of six first sets. Tran and Brantmeier's doubles wins propelled them to come out aggressive in their individual matches and the pair won 6-1 and 6-3, respectively, in their openers. 

“I was not expecting us to come out and win that many first sets,” Kalbas said. “I was hoping, but I wasn't expecting it.”

Despite the close first four games, Brantmeier did not relent in her second set, putting a point on the scoreboard for UNC. Meanwhile, Tran faced a more challenging matchup.

Tran’s aggressive net game continued in her singles games, and she relied on moving up and down the court to set up her game-winning overheads and volleys. In the second set, though, Duke's Ellie Coleman put more pressure on the North Carolina junior, resulting in a tied 4-4 score.

“(Tran) started going for too much,” Kalbas said. “She was kind of getting a little impatient, maybe rushing a little bit.”

Kalbas added that the key to this break point was Tran taking better shots, outlasting her opponent and waiting instead of hitting game-winners on the first, second or third shot. Ultimately, Tran found her groove again and won the final two games, exiting the court with a score with a 6-1, 6-4 win. 

As this phase of the season closes, Kalbas said Friday’s match was an important challenge. Coming together as a team and inspiring each other is another piece of the puzzle. 

“We're confident, we're playing well and I think we're ready to take on anybody's best shot,” he said. “Hopefully, we can do that in the postseason.”  

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