Akilah Nelson

Sports

Pinchbeck Overcomes Adversity

By Akilah Nelson | April 17

Any given afternoon at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, Kate Pinchbeck's singles match will grab your attention.Pinchbeck, who has played No. 2 and No. 3 seed singles for North Carolina this season, will usually be in the midst of a third set or a tie-breaker.You'll notice her talking to herself in her Australian accent, urging herself to play better, smarter and harder. You'll hear her teammates chant, "Rudy! Rudy!" from the sidelines, likening her to the main character of her favorite movie. Most often you'll hear someone in the stands yell, "So tough, Kate.

Sports

Women's Tennis Sweeps ACC Foes

By Akilah Nelson | April 9

The North Carolina women's tennis team struggled against Virginia and Maryland last season, losing to both teams in a long weekend away from home.This weekend at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, the Tar Heels served both of those teams 6-1 losses, improving their record to 12-5 overall and 3-2 in the ACC.Playing under a hot sun, No. 14 North Carolina's intensity proved too much for the Cavaliers and the Terrapins.UNC more than earned the doubles point Sunday, winning all three doubles matches against Maryland.Playing at the No.

Sports

Blue Devils Squeak Past Tar Heels

By Akilah Nelson | April 3

Competition is always stiff between North Carolina and Duke. Monday night's match at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center exemplified the contention between the teams, as Duke edged the Tar Heels 4-3.The match was decided by a tie-breaker in the third set of Tar Heel Kate Pinchbeck's match against Duke's Amanda Johnson, ranked No. 18 in the ITA.As UNC sophomore Marlene Mejia wrapped up a 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) win, Pinchbeck and Johnson were beginning the third set of a match that had already become exhaustive.Pinchbeck had lost the first set 7-5.

Sports

Move Indoors Aids Women's Tennis Win

By Akilah Nelson | April 2

The North Carolina women's tennis team weathered Saturday's storm, rallying to win against Florida State at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in the team's first ACC match of the season.UNC (10-3, 1-0 in the ACC) won the match 6-1 after winning the doubles point and four three-set matches.There was not a cloud in the sky when Julie Rotondi's 6-1, 6-2 victory gave UNC its first singles point, but with the Tar Heels leading 2-1, it began to rain.And the forecast for the Tar Heels was bleak.Marlene Mejia, the team's top player, was in the midst of her second set.

Sports

Spring Sports - UNC Golfers Anticipate Challenging Season

By Akilah Nelson | February 23

With a little luck and a few things done differently, the North Carolina women's golf team would have made it to the NCAA championships at the end of the 2000 season.Instead the team placed third in the ACC and 17th in the NCAA Eastern Regionals to cap off a season of steady improvement.Although this season began much the same as the last, UNC coach Sally Austin hopes her team's story will have a different ending this May.Once again, the Tar Heels improved constantly throughout the fall.

Sports

Tennessee Eliminates UNC in Triangle Classic

By Akilah Nelson | February 19

RALEIGH -- The pieces just came together for the North Carolina softball team during its win against Tennessee on Saturday evening.In the teams' next meeting Sunday afternoon, it seemed things had fallen apart.The Lady Volunteers defeated the Tar Heels 1-0 in the Triangle Classic softball tournament at Walnut Creek Softball Complex on Sunday, eliminating UNC from tournament play. The Tar Heels had qualified to play Tennessee again after defeating Purdue 6-2 on Saturday night in its first gold-bracket game."I'm just really disappointed," UNC coach Donna Papa said.

Akilah Nelson

Pinchbeck Overcomes Adversity

Women's Tennis Sweeps ACC Foes

Blue Devils Squeak Past Tar Heels

Move Indoors Aids Women's Tennis Win

Spring Sports - UNC Golfers Anticipate Challenging Season

Tennessee Eliminates UNC in Triangle Classic

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