UNC women's tennis defeats Charleston Southern in first round of NCAA Tournament

The No. 1 North Carolina women’s tennis team defeated the Charleston Southern Buccaneers in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Chewning Tennis Center on Friday evening.  

What happened?  

UNC started strong with a doubles duo of senior Elizabeth Scotty and sophomore Carson Tanguilig, who won in a quick game, 6-0. The duo on court three gained control of the match quickly for the Tar Heels.  

After the initial win in doubles for the Tar Heels, first-year Reese Brantmeier and junior Reilly Tran grasped the second win for the Tar Heels, 6-2, against the Buccaneers. Brantmeier and Tran’s win earned UNC the doubles point for the night.

In singles action, the Tar Heels took control from the first match.  

Tran, who is ranked as the No. 100 college player, worked fast on court six. She swept CSU's Kassandra Di Staulo 6-0 in the first set and 6-1 in the second. The junior’s win provided UNC with a strong lead during singles play.

No. 1 Fiona Crawley continued the powerful dynamic that Tran began with. The junior defeated Amila Jusufbegovic in a quick two-set match with a score of 6-1 in set one and 6-0 in set two.  

The Tar Heels clinched singles action with No. 35 Abbey Forbes' win over Marina Skegro. The graduate student carried the Tar Heels to victory, winning 6-2 in set one and 6-0 in the closing set of the night.  

Who stood out?  

Tran created the momentum that carried the Tar Heels to victory over the Buccaneers. Her sweep allowed for the Tar Heels to begin singles with an important win, setting the tone for the rest of singles play. 

When was it decided? 

The Tar Heels controlled the match from the beginning. Without a single set dropped, UNC defeated CSU with ease.  

Following a 2-0 sweep in doubles, Forbes closed the inaugural round of the NCAA Tournament in straight sets during singles action.  

Why does it matter?  

The Tar Heels are coming off of a tough loss in the ACC tournament to in-state rival N.C. State University. Winning the first round of the NCAA tournament with such dominance was just what the Tar Heels were looking for to start the tournament.  

UNC built momentum as they reigned victorious over CSU. The Tar Heels must hold their momentum as they move on in the tournament and look toward making a run to the national championship in Orlando.  

When do they play next?  

Carolina will face the Old Dominion Monarchs on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at Chewning Tennis Center. A win against the Monarchs would send UNC to the Super Regional round of the tournament next week.

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com