Oct. 25, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --- The top-seeded and defending champion duo of
Sophie Grabinski and
Sanaz Marand outlasted Duke's Amanda Granson and Ellah Nze, 9-8, Sunday to advance to the finals of the Wilson/ITA Carolinas Regional Championships at the Indoor Tennis Center on the campus of Wake Forest University. Grabinski and Marand, who are ranked No. 5 in the preseason ITA national poll, will face second-seeded Josipa Bek and Ina Hadziselimovic of Clemson on Monday.
Marand, the top seed in the singles event, fell in the quarterfinals to sixth-seeded Reka Zsilinkska of Duke in three sets, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. Zsilinkska, who will face Bek in the singles finals, also eliminated Jocelyn Ffriend and Gina Suarez-Malaguti in earlier rounds.
A host of Tar Heels also participated in consolation singles matches Sunday, with Linzee Mabrey, Jelena Durisic, Haley Hemm, Shinann Featherston, Jennifer Stone and Zoe De Bruycker all posting victories.
Grabinski and Marand will take the court for the doubles final at 10 a.m. In last year's title match, the pair topped NC State's Berkeley Brock and Lenka Hojckova, 8-2
Singles
Reka Zsilinkska (Duke) def. Sanaz Marand (UNC), 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
Doubles
Sanaz Marand/Sophie Grabinski (UNC) def. Amanda Granson/Ellah Nze (Duke), 9-8
Consolation Singles
Haley Hemm (UNC) d. Stefi Balda (CLEM), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
Jelena Durisic (UNC) d. Sasha Kulikova (WF), 6-1, 6-0
Jennifer Stone (UNC) d. Caroline Magnusson (CLEM), 6-2, 7-5
Shinann Featherston (UNC) d. Emilee Malvehy (WF), 6-4, 6-4
Zoe De Bruycker (UNC) d. Laurianne Henry (CLEM), 6-2, 6-0
Linzee Mabrey (UNC) d. Katarina Reveche (WF), 7-5, 6-2
Maddy Saari-Bystrom (USC) d. Gina Suarez-Malaguti (UNC), 6-1, 1-6, 7-5
