Courtesy: Matt Riley / UVa Media Relations Lindsey Pereira

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia women’s tennis team opened play on the final weekend of the regular season with a 6-1 loss to No. 13 North Carolina Saturday at the Snyder Tennis Center. With the loss, the Cavaliers fall to 9-11 overall and 5-5 in the ACC.

The Cavaliers fell behind 1-0 after losing a tight doubles point. At the No. 1 position, Lindsey Pereira (Arlington, Texas) and Maggie Yahner (Las Vegas, Nev.) upset the nation’s No. 3 ranked team, Sanaz Marand and Sophie Grabinski, 8-5. After the Tar Heels drew even if a win at No. 3 doubles, the opening point came down to the match at No. 2. Amanda Rales (Bethesda, Md.) and Jennifer Stevens (Miami, Fla.) rallied from a 7-2 deficit to force a tiebreaker, but fell 9-8 (7-2) to Austin Smith and Katrina Tsang.

In singles, the Tar Heels won the first four matches off the court in straight sets to clinch the match. At No. 3 singles, Smith defeated Pereira in a superbreaker to make the score 6-0. In the final match on the courts, Stevens topped No. 29 Tsang 6-0, 1-6, 7-5 at the No. 2 position.

The Cavaliers conclude the regular season on Sunday as they host No. 9 Duke. The match is slated for an 11 a.m. start at the Snyder Tennis Center. Prior to the match, Pereira, the lone senior on the roster, will be honored.

No. 13 North Carolina 6, No. 48 Virginia 1

Doubles:
1. Pereira/Yahner (UVa) def. #3 Marand/Grabinski (UNC) 8-5
2. #51 Smith/Tsang (UNC) def. Rales/Stevens (UVa) 9-8 (2)
3. Jurewitz/Fanjoy (UNC) def. Alexander/Williams (UVa) 8-6

Singles:
1. #8 Sanaz Marand (UNC) def. Amanda Rales (UVa) 6-0, 6-1
2. Jennifer Stevens (UVa) def. #29 Katrina Tsang (UNC) 6-0, 1-6, 7-5
3. #97 Austin Smith (UNC) def. Lindsey Pereira (UVa) 6-4, 1-6, 10-6
4. Laura Reichert (UNC) def. Maggie Yahner (UVa) 6-0, 6-2
5. Sophie Grabinski (UNC) def. Lara Alexander (UVa) 6-4, 6-3
6. Meg Fanjoy (UNC) def. Cathy Nimitz (UVa) 6-0, 6-1

Order of Finish: Doubles- 1,3,2 • Singles- 4,1,6,5,3,2
Records: Virginia (9-11, 5-5 ACC), North Carolina (15-7, 6-3 ACC)