March 29, 2006

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The No. 17 Wake Forest women's tennis team pushed four of the six singles matches into a third set, but the early double victory gave No. 4 North Carolina the advantage as the Demon Deacons fell, 4-3, Wednesday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center

The loss drops Wake Forest to 9-5 overall and 2-3 in the ACC, while North Carolina improves to 20-3 overall and 5-1 in the conference.

Freshman Ana Jerman opened the singles up and tied the score at one all with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over No. 85 Sara Anundesen. Currently ranked No. 106 in the nation, Jerman owns a 11-2 overall record this spring and is undefeated in conference action.

North Carolina then took a two-point advantage, winning at the No. 2 position and then at No. 5. Rallying back, Christian Tara won at No. 4 with a 6-0, 6-7, 6-4 victory over Austin Smith and then redshirt sophomore Alex Hirsch tied it up with a 7-6, 3-6, 6-1, upset of No. 32 Jenna Long at No. 1. North Carolina then clinched the match with a three-set victory at No. 6.

The Tar Heels opened the match by winning the doubles point, 3-0.

The Demon Deacons will return home this weekend for their final home matches of the season. Wake Forest will first host Virginia Tech on April 1 and then Virginia on Sunday, April 2. Both matches will begin at 12 pm.

SINGLES:
No. 1 - #43 Alex Hirsch def. #32 Jenna Long, 7-6, 3-6, 6-1
No. 2 - #59 Caitlin Collins def #64 Ashlee Davis, 6-3, 7-5
No. 3 - #106 Ana Jerman def. #95 Sara Anundsen, 6-3, 6-2
No. 4 - Christian Tara def. Austin Smith, 6-0, 6-7, 6-4
No. 5 - Laura Reichert def. Jenna Loeb, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
No. 6 - Tanja Markovic def. Sierra Poske, 6-1, 7-5, 6-0
DOUBLES
No. 1- #6 Anundsen/Long def. #20 Davis/Hirsch, 8-3
No. 2 - Collins/Reichert def. Jerman/Tara, 8-4
No. 3 - Markovic/Smith def. Poske/Simpson, 8-6

- WakeForestSports.com -