Tar Heels take down 18th-ranked Tennessee

After ousting the North Carolina women’s tennis team in the NCAA Regional final last year, Tennessee came to Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center and covered the visitor sign on the scoring posts with orange signs reading “UT,” as if laying claim to the courts.

But the Lady Volunteers couldn’t make good on that claim Saturday, and No. 15 UNC garnered a hard-fought 5-2 victory, defeating Tennessee for just the second time since 1986.

“I wouldn’t say we were pumped up because we lost to them last time,” senior Aniela Mojzis said. “Coming into it, we were just focused because we were playing a better team and a tougher team and our first competitive team. … This is a very scrappy team, you have to fight. You know they’re going to fight to the end. We have to beat them — they’re not going to give us the match.”

The Tar Heels’ evening match against Elon was canceled due to inclement weather.

UNC coach Brian Kalbas was glad to face No. 18 Tennessee (0-1) so soon in the season.

“To me having a match this tough early, I think, is good because it kind of gets your team ready for what you’re going to face throughout the year,” Kalbas said.

UNC (3-0) jumped to an early advantage, clinching the doubles point in two of three matches.

The nation’s 14th-ranked tandem of Mojzis and Kendall Cline defeated the nation’s 51st-ranked duo of Tennessee’s Sabita Maharaj and Ashley Robards.

The Tar Heel’s No. 2 seed of Jenna Long and Sara Anundsen defeated Melissa Schaub and Ghizela Schutte (8-5), and UNC’s third pair of Caitlin Collins and Alex Jurewitz fell to Blakeley Griffith and Bryce Marable (8-3).

“This is our first test,” said Long, a sophomore. “I felt like everyone was super focused, win or lose, stayed positive, and overall it was a great match.”

At the No. 2 singles spot, senior Cline clinched the team victory for North Carolina by defeating Griffith in two sets (6-4, 6-4). Cline, who ranks 37th nationally, recorded her seventh consecutive singles victory.

A nearly three-hour battle between the No. 1 seeds highlighted the match, as Mojzis, ranked 25th, faced the No. 50 Maharaj. Each claimed a set (7-6, 6-7) before Mojzis took the tiebreaker 10-7.

“I love it when it gets a little crazy,” Mojzis said. “I love the energy. I like the tough times. I feed off that, I don’t like it when it’s dead.”

Long overcame falling behind at the start of each set during the No. 3 seed match and staged strong comebacks to upset No. 107 Vicky Jones.

In the rest of singles play, Anundsen easily defeated Schutte (6-2, 6-2), while Collins fell to Marable (6-4, 6-0) and Charlotte Tansill fell to UT’s Schaub (6-5, 7-5).

“It was important that we stay composed, stay positive because if we didn’t it would give (UT) a lot of momentum and confidence,” Kalbas said. “We did that today throughout, even the matches we lost.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.