Jan. 31, 2009
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. --- Freshman
Shinann Featherston's straight-set win at No. 5 singles clinched No. 18 North Carolina's 5-2 win over No. 19 Michigan in the opening match of the ITA Kickoff Weekend Saturday at William and Mary's McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center. With the victory, the Tar Heels advance to face the host Tribe at 2 p.m. Sunday for a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships next weekend in Madison, Wis.
Carolina (3-0) got on the board first with the always important doubles point keyed by a decisive 8-1 win at No. 3 by seniors Meg Fanjoy and Laura Reichert. After the 12th-ranked duo of Katrina Tsang and Featherston finished off Whitney Taney and Rika Tatsuno at No. 2, 8-6, the final doubles match was abandoned.
Michigan (2-1) evened the score early in singles play with Chisako Sugiyama topping No. 47 Sanaz Marand, 6-1, 6-4, at the top position. The Wolverines would get no closer, however, as Carolina won the next three matches to secure the victory.
Tsang defeated Tatsuno, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 2 before Reichert completed her 6-3, 6-1 win over Michelle Sulahian at No. 6 to push UNC to the brink of victory. Featherston clinched the win in convincing fashion, topping Denise Muresan at No. 5, 7-5, 6-0.
Senior Sophie Grabinksi added a final victory for the Tar Heels, dispatching Tania Mahtani at No. 4, 6-3, 7-6 (6).
Carolina will face W&M Sunday at 2 p.m. for a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Madison, Wis. The match will pit UNC head coach Brian Kalbas against a William and Mary squad he coached for 11 seasons from 1992-2003.
Doubles
1. No. 15 Marand/Grabinski (UNC) vs. No. 51 Mahtani/Sugiyama (U-M), 6-6
2. No. 12 Tsang/Featherston (UNC) def. Taney/Tatsuno (U-M), 8-6
3. Fanjoy/Reichert (UNC) def. Howard/Sulahian (U-M), 8-1
Finishing Order: 3, 2*
Singles
1. Chisako Sugiyama (U-M) def. No. 47 Sanaz Marand (UNC), 6-1, 6-4
2. Katrina Tsang (UNC) def. Rika Tatsuno (U-M), 6-2, 6-3
3. Whitney Taney (U-M) def. No. 103 Austin Smith (UNC), 7-6 (7), 6-2
4. Sophie Grabinski (UNC) def. Tania Mahtani (U-M), 6-3, 7-6 (6)
5. No. 83 Shinann Featherston (UNC) def. Denise Muresan (U-M), 7-5, 6-0
6. Laura Reichert (UNC) def. Michelle Sulahian (U-M), 6-3, 6-1
Finishing Order: 1, 2, 6, 5*, 3, 4
