Tar Heels Dig Deep, Edge Out NC State in Top-10 Thriller
**CARY, N.C. ** - In a match that had all the makings of a heavyweight showdown, No.
3 North Carolina women's tennis showed exactly why they’re one of the nation’s elite. Down early and pushed to the brink, the Tar Heels clawed their way back to a gritty 4-3 win over ninth-ranked NC State on Friday night at Cary Tennis Park.
This one had everything-momentum swings, ranked battles, and a clutch finish from the nation’s top player. It also marked the first time all season UNC found itself trailing after doubles, adding a new layer of adversity to an already high-stakes rivalry.
Let’s break it down.
Doubles: NC State Strikes First
The night kicked off with doubles, and it was the Wolfpack who came out swinging. NC State grabbed the early edge with wins on courts one and two, securing the doubles point and a 1-0 lead. It was unfamiliar territory for the Tar Heels, who had been dominant in doubles up to this point.
UNC’s top duo of Reese Brantmeier and Alanis Hamilton, ranked No. 11 nationally, fell 6-4 to NC State’s Broadfoot and Osuigwe. Meanwhile, the No. 3-ranked pair of Oby Kajuru and Abbey Maltby dropped their match 6-3 to Zyryanova and Conway.
The third doubles match-Evans and Frey vs. Slama and Tanasie-was left unfinished, with NC State already having clinched the point.
Singles: The Comeback Begins
With their backs against the wall, the Tar Heels turned to their singles lineup-and the response was immediate.
Freshman Anna Frey, who’s been nothing short of automatic since joining the squad in January, got things rolling. She posted a straight-sets win over Jasmine Conway (6-4, 6-3), knotting the match at 1-1. Frey is now a perfect 6-0 in singles, and her early point gave UNC the jolt it needed.
NC State answered right back. Victoria Osuigwe took down No. 51 Theadora Rabman in straight sets (6-4, 6-3), putting the Wolfpack back on top, 2-1.
But UNC wasn’t done.
Middle-Round Fireworks: Kajuru and Evans Deliver
No. 23 Oby Kajuru stepped up in a ranked battle against No.
31 Mia Slama. After a strong first set, Kajuru stumbled in the second but regrouped in the third to close it out 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
That leveled the match once again at 2-2.
Then came Tatum Evans, who had to dig deep. She dropped her opening set to No. 60 Anna Zyryanova, 3-6, but flipped the script with back-to-back 6-3 sets to put UNC ahead for the first time all night, 3-2.
Just when it looked like UNC might ride that momentum to the finish, NC State swung back. No.
38 Lavinia Tanasie outlasted No. 69 Alanis Hamilton in a tight two-setter (7-6(3), 6-4), tying things up at 3-3.
The Closer: Brantmeier Comes Through
With the match hanging in the balance, it came down to the top court-No. 1 Reese Brantmeier vs.
No. 29 Gabriella Broadfoot.
And fittingly, it was the kind of high-level tennis you expect from a No. 1 player in the country.
Brantmeier took the first set 6-4, but Broadfoot refused to go quietly. She battled through a second-set tiebreak, winning it 7-4 to force a decider.
But Brantmeier, a senior with a knack for the big moment, stayed composed. She closed out the third set 6-4, clinching both the match and the team victory.
Final score: 4-3, Tar Heels.
What It Means
This was UNC’s fifth straight win over NC State, and it came in one of their most hard-fought matches of the season. The Tar Heels showed resilience, depth, and poise-especially in singles, where they won four of six courts despite the early deficit.
The win keeps Carolina’s momentum rolling as they prepare for a major test on Sunday. No. 1 Georgia comes to town, setting up another top-tier clash at the Chewning Tennis Center.
But for now, UNC can savor this one. When the pressure was highest, their stars delivered. And that’s the mark of a championship-caliber team.