No. 4 Texas A&M and Martinez down No. 5 UNC in 4-3 thriller
ATHENS, G.A. — On paper, this was easily the most anticipated match of the day. And boy, did it live up to the anticipation.
With it all on the line, Texas A&M's (26-5) Violeta Martinez took down North Carolina (27-4) and Anna Frey on Court 5 in a tie-break for the right to go to the next round. Frey had fought off a match point and was suffering through an apparent lower-body injury to get to that point. As the final balls were being struck, she could not find her stroke, and with a baseline forehand sent long, Frey fell 6-7(5). A&M was moving on.
UNC got off to a hot start, winning the doubles on Court 1 as No. 9 Reese Brantmeier and Alanis Hamilton defeated No. 11 Lucciana Perez and Mia Kupres 7-6(1) on the deciding court.
Soon came the battle between the SEC Player of the Year, No. 1 ranked Perez versus the ACC Player of the Year, No. 2 ranked Brantmeier. That match was set to be a thriller, but Perez had other ideas. She dominated the reigning NCAA singles champion 6-3, 6-1 to help secure Texas A&M's first point. But not before UNC's No. 18 Oby Kajuru put the Heels ahead 2-0 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 50 Mia Kupres.
A pair of straight-set wins on Courts 3 and 4 put Texas A&M up 3-2 as play only remained on Courts 5 and 6. To keep UNC's hopes alive, Theadora Rabman took down Daria Smetannikov in three sets. Ultimately, Frey could not find the right answers to close out the match and North Carolina was sent home.
Texas A&M will face the defending champs, No. 1 seed Georgia at 7 p.m. Saturday with a spot in the final on the line.
