CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - No. 18 Texas (18-11) won the doubles point and added singles wins from Aeriel Ellis and Breaunna Addison, but No. 14 Virginia (19-9) edged the Longhorns by a 4-3 count Sunday afternoon at Virginia's Snyder Tennis Center. UT's season comes to an end in the round of 32 of the NCAA Championships.
Virginia opened the doubles session with a win at third doubles, but Texas took early control of the matches at the first and second slots and won the doubles point. Virginia's Li Xi and Maria Fuccillo registered two early service breaks of UT's Annat Rabinovich and Lana Padegimaite at third doubles and claimed an 8-4 win.
Texas' Elizabeth Begley and Aeriel Ellis held serve in all five of their service games against UVA's Julia Elbaba and Hana Tomljanovic at second doubles. Texas broke UVA twice for a 3-0 lead and cruised to an 8-2 win. Moments later, UT's Breaunna Addison and Noel Scott sealed an 8-4 win over the Cavaliers' Stephanie Nauta and Erin Vierra at first doubles.
Texas broke for a 4-1 lead before holding and breaking once more for a 6-1 cushion. Virginia broke, held serve and broke Texas once more to pull within 6-4. But, Texas registered a key service break of the Wahoos for a 7-4 lead, and Addison punctuated the 8-4 win with a service ace, as the Horns took a 1-0 lead in the match.
Virginia evened the match behind a 6-1, 6-3 win from Erin Vierra over UT's Lina Padegimaite at fifth singles. Texas answered at second singles, where Addison produced a 6-2, 6-3 win over UVA's 78th-ranked Stephanie Nauta.
Virginia evened the match once more, as Caryssa Peretz knocked off UT's Lana Groenvynck at sixth singles, 6-4, 6-2. The Cavaliers took a 3-2 lead when Hana Tomljanovic outlasted UT's Begley, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (4).
Texas evened the match with Ellis' 13th consecutive win at first singles, as she held on for a 7-6, 7-5 win over Virginia's 12th-ranked Julia Elbaba. But, the Cavaliers sealed the win at fourth singles, where Li Xi edged UT's Scott, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (0).
NCAA Championship Second Round (Round of 32)
No. 14 Virginia, No. 18 Texas
Doubles - Order of Finish: 3,2,1
1 No. 19 Breaunna Addison/Noel Scott (UT) def. Stephanie Nauta/Erin Vierra (UVA) - 8-4
2 Elizabeth Begley/Aeriel Ellis (UT) def. Julia Elbaba/Hana Tomljanovic (UVA) - 8-2
3 Li Xi/Maria Fuccillo (UVA) def. Annat Rabinovich/Lina Padegimaite (UT) - 8-4
Singles - Order of Finish: 5, 2, 6, 3, 1, 4
1 No. 37 Aeriel Ellis (UT) def. No. 12 Julia Elbaba (UVA) - 7-6 (3), 7-5
2 No. 31 Breaunna Addison (UT) def. No. 78 Stephanie Nauta (UVA) - 6-2, 6-3
3 Hana Tomljanovic (UVA) def. Elizabeth Begley (UT) - 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (4)
4 Li Xi (UVA) def. Noel Scott (UT) - 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (0)
5 Erin Vierra (UVA) def. Lina Padegimaite (UT) - 6-1, 6-3
6 Caryssa Peretz (UVA) def. Lana Groenvynck (UT) - 6-4, 6-2
