North Carolina Team Page
CHAPEL HILL --- The No. 8 North Carolina women's tennis team booked a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships with a 4-0 win over No. 46 VCU Sunday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. Caroline Price, Zoe De Bruycker and Gina Suarez-Malaguti were singles winners for the Tar Heels, who improved to 4-0 on the young season.
Carolina came out strong in doubles and took wins on the top two courts to grab the point. No. 8 Ashley Dai and Whitney Kay made quick work of VCU's Cindy Chala and Yukako Noi, winning 8-1. No. 51 Tessa Lyons and Lauren McHale then clinched the point with an 8-3 victory over Daria Vakauleva and Olga Terteac on court two.
Price was first off in singles for the second day in a row, thumping Olga Barscheuskaya in straight sets on court five, 6-2, 6-0. The No. 36-ranked sophomore improved to 3-0 in dual match competition.
No. 28 De Bruycker was next to finish, dropping just three games in taking care of Noi on court two, 6-2, 6-1.
No. 11 Suarez-Malaguti completed Carolina's fourth sweep of the season with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Chala on court one.
With the win, UNC will advance to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships for the eighth year in a row. The Tar Heels will join the 14 other qualifiers and host Virginia at the 16-team event in Charlottesville, Va., Feb. 8-11.
Carolina will return to the court next Sunday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. against Big Ten foe Michigan.
No. 8 North Carolina 4, No. 46 VCU 0
Doubles
1. #8 Ashley Dai/Whitney Kay (NC) def. Cindy Chala/Yukako Noi, (VCU) 8-1
2. #51 Tessa Lyons/Lauren McHale (NC) def. Daria Vakauleva/Olga Terteac, (VCU) 8-3
3. Gina Suarez-Malaguti/Zoe De Bruycker (NC) vs. Olga Barscheuskaya/Salome Kvitashvili (VCU), 5-4, unfinished
Order of finish: 1, 2
Singles
1. #11 Gina Suarez-Malaguti (NC) def. Cindy Chala (VCU), 6-2, 6-3
2. #28 Zoe De Bruycker (NC) def. Yukako Noi (VCU), 6-2, 6-1
3. #111 Lauren McHale (NC) vs. Salome Kvitashvili (VCU), 4-6, 0-4, unfinished
4. #21 Whitney Kay (NC) vs. Olga Terteac (VCU), 6-1, 6-6, unfinished
5. #36 Caroline Price (NC) def. Olga Barscheuskaya (VCU), 6-2, 6-0
6. #101 Tessa Lyons (NC) vs. Josefin Hjertquist (VCU), 6-1, 6-6, unfinished
Order of finish: 5, 2, 1
