Saturday, May 14
Chapel Hill, NC
2 p.m.
Northwestern
2
at
4
North Carolina
Wildcats' Upset Bid Falls Just Short vs. Tar Heels
5/14/2016 6:09:00 PM | Women's Tennis
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- No. 30 Northwestern put a big-time scare into North Carolina, but the third-ranked Tar Heels pulled off a 4-2 win over the Wildcats Saturday afternoon in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Women's Tennis Championship.
NU's season comes to an end with a 14-11 record while UNC (31-2) advances to the round of 16 next week in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Wildcats certainly didn't make things easy on the host Tar Heels. North Carolina managed to take the early lead thanks to winning the doubles point courtesy of victories at Nos. 1 and 2.
The deficit didn't deter Northwestern, however. The Wildcats showed plenty of fight in singles play, winning the first set in three matches, dropping a tiebreaker in another. Additionally, Erin Larner jumped out to a 5-2 lead against Hayley Carter -- the top-ranked player in the nation -- before eventually falling.
It didn't take NU long to even the match score as Alex Chatt thoroughly dominated Kate Vialle at No. 4, winning 6-2, 6-0. Victories at Nos. 5 and 1 put the Tar Heels up 3-1 in the match, the 'Cats were still in position to pull off the upset.
Maddie Lipp -- ranked No. 52 -- kept Northwestern alive by earning an upset win at No. 2 over 41st-ranked Whitney Kay 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to get the Wildcats within 3-2. As Lipp was finishing off her win, the two remaining matches on the courts at Nos. 3 and 6 were heading to decisive third sets.
At No. 3, senior Alicia Barnett held a 7-6 (2), 3-6, 4-3 lead over 57th-ranked Jessie Aney when UNC's Ashley Dai was able to finish off a win at No. 6 to clinch the match for UNC.
2016 NCAA Tournament Second Round
#3 North Carolina 4, #30 Northwestern 2
Doubles
1. #2 Hayley Carter/Whitney Kay (NC) def. #28 Maddie Lipp/Alex Chatt (NU) 6-3
2. Jessie Aney/Kate Vialle (NC) def. Alicia Barnett/Brooke Rischbieth (NU) 6-0
3. Ashley Dai/Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (NC) vs. Jillian Rooney/Erin Larner (NU) 5-4, unfinished
Order of finish: 2, 1*
Singles
1. #1 Hayley Carter (NC) def. #95 Erin Larner (NU) 7-5, 6-4
2. #52 Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #41 Whitney Kay (NC) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
3. #57 Jessie Aney (NC) vs. Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 3-4, unfinished
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Kate Vialle (NC) 6-2, 6-0
5. Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (NC) def. Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Ashley Dai (NC) def. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-0
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 2, 6*
NU's season comes to an end with a 14-11 record while UNC (31-2) advances to the round of 16 next week in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Wildcats certainly didn't make things easy on the host Tar Heels. North Carolina managed to take the early lead thanks to winning the doubles point courtesy of victories at Nos. 1 and 2.
The deficit didn't deter Northwestern, however. The Wildcats showed plenty of fight in singles play, winning the first set in three matches, dropping a tiebreaker in another. Additionally, Erin Larner jumped out to a 5-2 lead against Hayley Carter -- the top-ranked player in the nation -- before eventually falling.
It didn't take NU long to even the match score as Alex Chatt thoroughly dominated Kate Vialle at No. 4, winning 6-2, 6-0. Victories at Nos. 5 and 1 put the Tar Heels up 3-1 in the match, the 'Cats were still in position to pull off the upset.
Maddie Lipp -- ranked No. 52 -- kept Northwestern alive by earning an upset win at No. 2 over 41st-ranked Whitney Kay 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to get the Wildcats within 3-2. As Lipp was finishing off her win, the two remaining matches on the courts at Nos. 3 and 6 were heading to decisive third sets.
At No. 3, senior Alicia Barnett held a 7-6 (2), 3-6, 4-3 lead over 57th-ranked Jessie Aney when UNC's Ashley Dai was able to finish off a win at No. 6 to clinch the match for UNC.
2016 NCAA Tournament Second Round
#3 North Carolina 4, #30 Northwestern 2
Doubles
1. #2 Hayley Carter/Whitney Kay (NC) def. #28 Maddie Lipp/Alex Chatt (NU) 6-3
2. Jessie Aney/Kate Vialle (NC) def. Alicia Barnett/Brooke Rischbieth (NU) 6-0
3. Ashley Dai/Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (NC) vs. Jillian Rooney/Erin Larner (NU) 5-4, unfinished
Order of finish: 2, 1*
Singles
1. #1 Hayley Carter (NC) def. #95 Erin Larner (NU) 7-5, 6-4
2. #52 Maddie Lipp (NU) def. #41 Whitney Kay (NC) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
3. #57 Jessie Aney (NC) vs. Alicia Barnett (NU) 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 3-4, unfinished
4. Alex Chatt (NU) def. Kate Vialle (NC) 6-2, 6-0
5. Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (NC) def. Jillian Rooney (NU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Ashley Dai (NC) def. Brooke Rischbieth (NU) 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-0
Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 2, 6*
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