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Doubles pair Lindsay Zink and Carson Tanguilig lead UNC women's tennis to ITA Indoor Team Championship

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UNC senior Carson Tanguilig hits the ball during the women’s tennis match against Alabama on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. UNC won 4-1.

The word of the weekend was confidence.

After the UNC women's tennis team suffered a tough 4-3 loss at No. 5 Virginia on Monday, the coaches called a team meeting right before practice. The players gathered on court six in the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. The coaches stressed the importance of maintaining composure. Stay present, stay on court so teammates playing beside them don't feel the pressure of the scoreboard. 

“If you’re down, you’re not showing it,” senior Lindsay Zink said. "You’re showing confidence, always."

Facing a tough stretch of opponents in the ITA Kickoff, it was this message that resonated with the Tar Heels the most, especially as Zink joined senior Carson Tanguilig in the doubles lineup for the first time since the fall of their first year on the team. 

The senior duo clinched the doubles point in both wins for the No. 9 North Carolina women’s tennis team this weekend to secure a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship beginning on Feb. 7 — where UNC has won four of the last five championship titles. The Tar Heels defeated Alabama, 4-1, in the first round on Saturday, then swept Wisconsin, 4-0, on Sunday.

“Lindsay coming in [at] three doubles and playing for the first time was remarkable,” head coach Brian Kalbas said after the match against Alabama. “Two seniors playing [at the] three doubles kind of set the tone for us.” 

To start out the match against the Crimson Tide, first-year Alanis Hamilton and junior Reese Brantmeier claimed a quick 6-1 victory for North Carolina on court one.  

Then, on court three, the newly-paired senior doubles duo was dominating, winning five straight set points.

The two entered the match with opposite levels of experience. Zink appeared in one singles match last season and zero doubles matches. Tanguilig won the 2023 NCAA doubles title and was named to the All-ACC Doubles First Team last year. 

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UNC senior Lindsay Zink serves the ball during the women’s tennis match against Alabama on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. UNC won 4-1.

But on Saturday, it didn't matter. Zink held her ground from the backline. She set up for Tanguilig to attack from the net, slicing volleys that landed beyond Alabama's reach. They claimed their first doubles victory of the season, 6-1

“I'm really, really proud of Lindsay,” assistant coach Hayley Carter said. “She's been a rock for us in practice and as a leader. To see her get her opportunity and to really thrive this weekend is really cool.”

Against Wisconsin, achieving the doubles point wasn’t so simple.

UNC’s duo of sophomore Tatum Evans and junior Thea Rabman — ranked No. 20 in the nation as a double pair — were dominated on court two, 6-0

The Badgers took an early lead in the fight for the doubles point. But not for long.

Hamilton and Brantmeier won four straight games after being tied 2-2 to give North Carolina a win.

The doubles point would come down to Zink and Tanguilig’s match. A match that had a 2-4 start for the seniors.

With advancing to the next stage of the tournament on the line, Zink admitted she was nervous. Even with more experience playing with Tanguilig, the match was daunting. 

“[Associate head coach Tyler Thomson] was telling us to keep our energy up, stay composed, don't show any negative body language, “ Zink said. “It really helped us. It was portrayed onto our opponents because we weren't ever looking down.”

The two cut the deficit to one game, 3-4, but found themselves down 30-0 in the next game and unable to respond to the opponents shots.

But then, Tanguilig took control. She fired off a series of cross-court returns to battle back to deuce.

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UNC senior Carson Tanguilig serves the ball during the women’s tennis match against Alabama on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. UNC won 4-1.

Zink hit a short ball onto the service line. The opponent's unsteady return smacked the net. 4-4. 

With the confidence speech in mind, they battled to take a 6-5 lead.

At match point, it was deuce once again. One more point to decide whether the pair clinched the doubles point or if it would come down to a tie-breaker.

Tanguilig hit a deep shot that barely stayed inbounds, then the two watched the Wisconsin return soar outside the white lines. Zink pointed at Tanguilig and the duo broke out in smiles, high-fived and embraced.

They had done it.

“I've only ever had fun playing on the court with [Tanguilig],” Zink said.

Claiming a 7-5 victory, the pair on court three gave UNC the first point en route to a 4-0 victory. 

“It was a tight one,” Carter said. “That was absolutely crucial for us, and that's why we got off to those good starts in singles. If you want to look at it that way, Carson and Lindsay changed the course of this match for us.”

Caroline Wills contributed reporting.

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