UNC women's tennis avenges losses to Virginia to win back-to-back ACC championships

CARY — A huddle of Carolina Blue tank tops and t-shirts gathered on the middle court of Cary Tennis Park. 

The Tar Heels just clinched the doubles point over Virginia. The coaches left the players to talk amongst themselves and speak unfiltered. 

With arms wrapped around each other’s shoulders, they cracked a few jokes to ease the pressure of the ACC championship match. There were smiles. A sense of giddiness. Then, it was time to get serious. 

They looked to senior Carson Tanguilig. She instructed her teammates to act like they’d just lost the opening point. Don’t get comfortable. Leave it all out there in singles. Fight like their backs are against the wall. 

This meeting wasn’t always a part of North Carolina’s routine. UNC used to only huddle if the team lost doubles and needed to regroup. But after two losses to Virginia in January and February — where the Tar Heels won both doubles points, then fell apart in singles to drop 4-3 — they made a change. Regardless of the outcome, they have to meet and make sure they keep the energy up. 

Every adjustment UNC made over the course of this season led to this moment: an assertive 4-0 win over the fourth-seeded Cavaliers in the ACC championship match on Sunday afternoon. Second-seeded North Carolina clinched its second-straight championship title and 13th in program history. 

“[We were] just trying to make a statement that it’s about us,” head coach Brian Kalbas said. “We’re seeing how far we’ve come.” 

A lot has changed. Since dropping four out of six singles matches in each of the previous meetings with UVA this year, Kalbas took a look at his lineup as the end of the regular season approached. 

Tanguilig had gone 4-3 at the No. 3 seed. She struggled with her serve and confidence. 

So, after her singles loss to Duke, Kalbas moved her, eventually settling her into the No. 5 spot earlier this month. 

Finally finding her role, Tanguilig has won six matches since. 

And on Sunday, her decisive 6-0, 6-2 victory put the first singles point on the board, avenging her previous loss to UVA’s Isabelle Lacy in the quarterfinals of the ITA Indoor tournament — the second meeting this year between the teams.

“I’m really not used to [finishing first] at all in my career,” Tanguilig said. “I kinda surprised myself, but I figured, why not keep the ball rolling and take charge at the bottom.”

Unlike last time, she remained aggressive. When Lacy lacked energy, Tanguilig capitalized. On the final point, she tracked a lob, raised her racket and slammed an overhead winner into the right corner of the court. She turned and screamed at the crowd behind her. She waved her hands, beckoning for everyone to match her energy.

The Tar Heels did just that. 

First-year Claire Hill had lost both of her singles matches against Virginia. In the first meeting, the score was tied 3-3, her match was the decider. But with all eyes watching, she faltered when she had a match point and she lost it entirely. Only four matches into the season, she was devastated. 

But a different Hill took the court on Sunday. Her confidence had grown. Facing Melodie Collard for the third time, Hill flipped the script. She put it away from the net with a forehand right into Collard’s feet. Another yell followed. Hill added the third point on the board with a 6-2, 6-0 victory.  

“She’s been really battle-tested in the past few weeks, few months,”  junior Reese Brantmeier said. “Seeing her have that same opponent and be able to really take it to her is so amazing.”

There was no other team North Carolina wanted to face in the final, Brantmeier said. The Tar Heels came out hungry for revenge. They didn’t have to do much talking in their pre-singles huddle. Everyone already knew what to do. 

Minutes after Hill, Brantmeier’s final serve was returned out of bounds to clinch it, 6-2, 6-1. 

The Tar Heels were there within seconds. There was screaming. Hugging. Jumping. 

One last huddle. This time, with a trophy in hand.  

“[We’re] believing in the work we’ve put in,” Tanguilig said. “We’ve grown so much. People have settled into their roles and understand what it does take to win even a conference title.”

@carolinewills03

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com

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