CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 6 Georgia Tech women’s tennis team pocketed a 4-3 upset win at No. 1 North Carolina on Saturday, topping the Tar Heels in the regular season for the second year in a row at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. Playing inside due to weather, the Jackets grabbed a vital doubles point and three singles wins to hand UNC its first ACC loss of the season. Tech improved to 12-3 overall and 4-1 in league play, while UNC dropped to 16-2, 5-1 ACC.
DOUBLES ACTION: UNC took the doubles win at the No. 1 seed that witnessed the top two doubles tandems in the country face-off. UNC’s No. 2 pair of Jessie Aney and Alexa Graham grabbed a 6-2 win over No. 1 Paige Hourigan and Kenya Jones, giving the Tar Heels the early lead in doubles play. Tech would need the remaining two courts to take the point and both courts stood tied at 4-apiece. Finishing within minutes of each other, Tech’s pair of Johnnise Renaud and Nami Otsuka wrapped up first, taking a 6-4 win over Makenna Jones and Sara Daavettila at the three seed. The Jackets clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 win at No. 2 as Ida Jarlskog and Victoria Flores won the final two points over Alle Sanford and Marika Akkerman to clinch the early lead for the Jackets.
SINGLES ACTION: Georgia Tech took the first three singles matches to clinch the match 4-0 over the Tar Heels. Competing at the top seed, No. 22 Hourigan downed No. 20 Sanford in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, before Otsuka cruised to a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over No. 47 Aney at No. 5 to push Tech in the lead, 3-0.
Jones clinched the match for Tech from the No. 3 seed over No. 27 Daavettila. The sophomore pocketed two 6-3 sets to seal the win and snap an 11-match regular season ACC win streak the Tar Heels held entering the contest.
UNC closed the contest winning the final three matches on the courts, takings wins from the No. 6, 4, and 2 seeds.
QUOTABLE: “Today was a really good team victory. Our two doubles teams at No. 2 and No. 3 played extremely well. UNC is a very good team, ranked No. 1 in the country and the defending National Team Indoor Champions, so it was a great accomplishment for us to play so well at their place and indoors. UNC has a very strong lineup from top to bottom. I thought we competed extremely well today and I’m very happy for our team. We will enjoy this victory right now and get ready to compete against a good NC State team tomorrow.” – Head Coach Rodney Harmon
UP NEXT: Tech faces a quick turnaround, playing at No. 42 NC State on Sunday at noon.
No. 6 GEORGIA TECH at No. 1 NORTH CAROLINA RESULTS
Match Score: Georgia Tech 4, North Carolina 3
DOUBLES
1. No. 2 Jessie Aney/Alexa Graham (UNC) def. No. 1 Paige Hourigan/Kenya Jones (GT) 6-2
2. Ida Jarlskog/Victoria Flores (GT) def. Alle Sanford/Marika Akkerman (UNC) 6-4
3. Johnnise Renaud/Nami Otsuka (GT) def. Makenna Jones/Sara Daavettila (UNC) 6-4
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2
SINGLES
1. No. 22 Paige Hourigan (GT) def. No. 20 Alle Sanford (UNC) 6-3, 6-2
2. No. 18 Makenna Jones (UNC) def. Johnnise Renaud (GT) 6-2, 7-5
3. Kenya Jones (GT) def. No. 27 Sara Daavettila (UNC) 6-3, 6-3
4. No. 70 Alexa Graham (UNC) def. No. 115 Ida Jarlskog (GT) 7-5, 6-2
5. Nami Otsuka (GT) def. No. 47 Jessie Aney (UNC) 6-2, 6-4
6. No. 103 Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (UNC) def. Victoria Flores (GT) 6-4, 6-2
Order of finish: 1,5,3,6,4,2
Records: Georgia Tech (12-3, 4-1 ACC); North Carolina (16-2, 5-1 ACC)
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