Jan. 29, 2012
CHAPEL HILL - No. 8 North Carolina locked up a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships with a 7-0 win over No. 51 Brown Sunday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.
Carolina (5-1) got off to a quick start in doubles with an 8-3 win by Zoe De Bruycker and Shinann Featherston on court two. Laura Slater and Gina Suarez-Malaguti then finished off a convincing 8-4 win on court three, securing the doubles point for the Tar Heels.
Brown (2-1) picked up its lone win on court one. The Bears' team of Cassandra Herzberg and Jessica Harrow defeated the No. 48-ranked Carolina duo of Lauren McHale and Haley Hemm by a score of 8-6.
In singles play, Caroline Price clinched another point for the Tar Heels and continued her stellar start to the season. The Duluth, Ga., freshman won 6-1, 6-3 on court five.
Soon after Price was the senior Featherston, who rolled to yet another straight-set victory, this time a 6-0, 6-2 decision over Brown's Jessica Harrow.
In a race to clinch the fourth and decisive point of the match for Carolina, Gina Suaraz-Malaguti and Tessa Lyons finished minutes apart on courts four and six, respectively. Suaraz-Malaguti claimed a 6-2, 6-3 win, while Lyons followed with her own 6-3, 6-3 victory.
On court one Tar Heel junior Zoe De Bruycker, ranked 44th nationally, exchanged blows with Brown's Misia Krasowski for much of the first set before finally prevailing in a tiebreak, 7-6 (2). De Bruycker then closed the match out decisively with a 6-0 romp in the second set.
That left
Lauren McHale alone on court two to complete the sweep for the Tar Heels. After dropping a tight first set, McHale stormed back to claim a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win and finish off the 7-0 victory.
Next up for Carolina is a home match against No. 12 Northwestern on Friday, Feb. 3.
No. 8 North Carolina 7, No. 51 Brown 0
Doubles
1. Herzberg/Harrow (B) def. #48 McHale/Hemm (UNC) 8-6
2. Featherston/De Bruycker (UNC) def. Krasowski/Caldwell (B) 8-3
3. Suarez-Malaguti/Slater (UNC) def. Kandath/Uberoi (B) 8-4
Order of finish: 2,3,1
Singles
1. #44 Zoe De Bruycker (UNC) def. Misia Krasowski (B) 7-6 (2), 6-0
2. #16 Lauren McHale (UNC) def. Cassandra Herzberg (B) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
3. Shinann Featherston (UNC) def. Jessica Harrow (B) 6-0, 6-2
4. Gina Suarez-Malaguti (UNC) def. Sarah Kandath (B) 6-2, 6-3
5. #55 Caroline Price (UNC) def. Nikita Uberoi (B) 6-1, 6-3
6. Tessa Lyons (UNC) def. Laura Wiley (B) 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 5, 3, 4, 6, 1, 2
