With the final two courts both going to three sets, it was Tatum Evans who locked down the victory to keep Carolina’s season alive.
The doubles duo of No. 9 Reese Brantmeier and Alanis Hamilton came rearing to go and smashed their way to a 6-2 win on court one. Clinching the doubles point for Carolina, Tatum Evans and Oby Kajuru earned a hard-fought victory by fending off a pesky Michigan pair on court three, 6-4.
In singles, Kajuru picked up a two-set win at 6-2, 6-2 on court two for Carolina’s second point of the evening. Taking points on courts five and one, Michigan evened the match at 2-2. Battling on court five, Anna Frey withstood a three-set challenge to go on and give the Tar Heels a 3-2 advantage. As Evans on court three and Thea Rabman forced three sets on their courts after dropping their firsts, it was Evans who remained composed to earn the 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 victory to clinch the match for North Carolina.
Advancing to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals, the Tar Heels head South to Athens, Georgia, to square off against Texas A&M next Friday. The Tar Heels advance to the round of eight for the second straight season and for the 14th time in program history. The time for the match from the Dan Magill Tennis Center at the University of Georgia will be announced in the coming days.
Doubles
No. 9 Reese Brantmeier/Alanis Hamilton (UNC) def. No. 30 Lily Jones/Jessica Bernales (MICH) 6-2
Tatum Evans/Oby Kajuru (UNC) def. Piper Chamey/Emily Sartz-Lunde (MICH) 6-4
No. 66 Reese Miller/Laura Rahnel (MICH) def. Susanna Maltby/Maddy Zampardo (UNC) 6-3
Singles
No. 8 Piper Chamey (MICH) def. No. 2 Reese Brantmeier (UNC) 6-3, 6-2
No. 18 Oby Kajuru (UNC) def. No. 24 Lily Jones (MICH, 6-2, 6-2
No. 42 Tatum Evans (UNC) def. No. 105 Reese Miller (MICH) 5-7, 7-5, 7-5
No. 120 Emily Sartz-Lunde (MICH) def. No. 116 Maddy Zampardo (UNC) 6-3, 6-1
Anna Frey (UNC) def. Laura Rahnel (MICH) 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
Thea Rabman (UNC) vs. Laura Rahnel (MICH) 4-6, 6-4, 6-5 – unfinished
