By Jessica Reigle
Old Gold and Black Reporter
The 11th-ranked Demon Deacons women's tennis team is regaining the strength it demonstrated earlier this season, just in time for the upcoming ACC Tournament.
The Deacs concluded their regular season play this weekend with two sweeping victories over North Carolina and N.C. State.
The Deacons began their successful weekend with a 9-0 shut-out over the Heels. Both singles and doubles action was completely dominated by the Deacs, and the team won all six singles matches in straight sets.
Freshman Mariel Verban continued to display immense talent, crushing UNC's Jessica Zaganczyk 6-0, 6-3 at No.1 singles.
Senior Lule Aydin blew by her opponent at the No. 2 spot, claiming a 6-3, 6-2 win.
Junior Nicola Kaiwai, freshman Dorothee Kurz, sophomore Annemarie Milton, and freshman Jackie Houston all won their singles matches, further contributing to the Deac victory.
The powerhouse doubles team of Kaiwai and Kurz, ranked seventh in the nation, stomped their UNC opponents 8-3 at the No.1 spot.
Aydin and Verban defeated Sarah Hawkins and Courtney Zalinski 8-4 at No. 2, and junior Caroline Ullring and Annemarie Milton paired up to win at No. 3 doubles, securing the Deacon victory.
The Deacs carried their strong play through the weekend, defeating N.C. State 8-1 April 18 afternoon at the Indoor Tennis Center.
Once again, the Deacons dominated the entire match, winning five out of six singles matches, along with all three doubles matches.
Verban downed N.C. State's Blair Sutton 6-0, 6-1 at the No.1 singles spot. Aydin, Kurz, Milton and Houston continued this winning streak, as each won their respective singles match.
Aydin and Verban paired up at No.1 doubles to destroy N.C. State's team of Sutton and Nena Bonacic 8-2.
Milton and Ullring claimed another win for the Deacs at No. 2 doubles, and the Deacon team victory was clinched by Houston and Hiete's strong play at the No. 3 spot.
The Deacons stand at 15-7 overall and 7-1 in ACC play and are ranked No. 2 in the ACC, following the conclusion of regular season play.
The ACC Tournament held in Atlanta, Ga., is the next challenge for the Deacs, who will resume play on April 24 when they face Georgia Tech, seeded seventh in the ACC.
Head Coach Lew Gerrard's goal for the ACC Tournament is for the Deacs to make it far enough to battle top seeded Duke in the finals April 26.
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Carlton Ward/Old Gold and Black