Full Breakdown
No. 3 UNC Women's Tennis Edges No. 9 NC State in Thrilling 4-3 Match
2/1/2026, 12:45:26 PM
Match Overview
The No. 3 University of North Carolina (UNC) women's tennis team faced off against No. 9 NC State on Friday evening at Cary Tennis Park, resulting in a closely contested 4-3 victory for the Tar Heels. This match marked a significant rivalry encounter, with both teams showcasing high-level tennis.
Key Match Events
The match commenced with doubles play, where NC State secured the doubles point by winning two of the three matches. Notably, the duo of No. 4 Gabriella Broadfoot and Victoria Osuigwe defeated the No. 11-ranked pairing of Reese Brantmeier and Alanis Hamilton, 6-4. Additionally, No. 40 Anna Zyryanova and Jasmine Conway triumphed over the No. 3-ranked pair of Oby Kajuru and Susanna Maltby, 6-3. This early success put NC State ahead 1-0 as they entered singles play.
In singles, UNC quickly leveled the score with a straight-sets victory from Anna Frey on court six. However, NC State regained the lead when Osuigwe defeated No. 51 Theadora Rabman, 6-4, 6-3. The back-and-forth continued as UNC's No. 23 Oby Kajuru and No. 35 Tatum Evans secured wins, bringing the score to 3-2 in favor of the Tar Heels. NC State's Lavinia Tanasie then tied the match at 3-3 by defeating No. 69 Alanis Hamilton in a tightly contested match.
The decisive moment came from court one, where UNC's top-ranked player, Reese Brantmeier, faced No. 29 Broadfoot. After winning the first set 6-4, Brantmeier lost the second set in a tiebreak but rallied to win the third set 6-4, clinching the match for UNC.
Impact and Significance
This victory marks UNC's fifth consecutive win over NC State, enhancing their season record to 6-0. The match highlighted the competitive nature of collegiate tennis, particularly in the ACC, and showcased the talents of both teams, especially Brantmeier and Broadfoot, who are both prominent figures in the sport.
Official Statements & Responses
Following the match, UNC head coach Brian Kalbas praised his team's resilience, stating, “We showed great character to come back after losing the doubles point.” NC State head coach Simon Earnshaw acknowledged the performance of his players, particularly in doubles, noting, “I was pleasantly surprised by our doubles.”
What's Next
The Tar Heels will return to the Chewning Tennis Center to host No. 1 Georgia on Sunday at 2 p.m. Meanwhile, NC State has qualified for the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, set to begin on February 6 in Evanston, Illinois.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I was actually pleasantly surprised by our doubles,” — Simon Earnshaw, Head Coach, NC State
- “Once we hit about 8 o’clock, it just started to be heavy going, didn’t it?” — Simon Earnshaw, Head Coach, NC State
- “She wasn’t even a top-six player. And then she moved from [No.] 4 to [No.] 3 when Anya got injured last year, and now all the way to [No.] 1. That’s a long way, in basically 12 months.” — Simon Earnshaw on Gabriella Broadfoot's rise in the lineup.