Bulldogs Face Tough Competition in Opening Match
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Bulldogs entered the regular season on Friday, competing against No. 5 North Carolina on the first day of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Kick-Off Weekend. Playing at North Carolina's Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, Yale showed resilience but ultimately fell to the host team 4-0.
Playing at No. 1 doubles, senior Madeleine Hamilton and junior Tina Jiang showed grit against No. 2 pair Hayley Carter and Whitney Kay, but the match ultimately ended in North Carolina's favor 6-0, giving the host team an early lead. Senior captain Ree Ree Li and sophomore Valerie Shklover also faced formidable opponents in No. 16 duo Kate Vialle and Jessie Aney, who ultimately defeated Li and Shklover 6-1 to put North Carolina up 1-0.
Jiang returned to the courts to play a hard-fought match against No. 6 Hayley Carter but ultimately fell to Carter 6-0, 6-2. Senior Courtney Amos and sophomore Carol Finke were both defeated 6-2, 6-0 by their respective opponents, ending the day in a 4-0 victory for North Carolina.
Full results of Yale's match against North Carolina can be found below.
The Bulldogs will return on Saturday for the consolation match against No. 52 Marshall, who lost to No. 47 Tulsa 4-0 on Friday. The match will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Report by Alice Yang '19, Yale Sports Publicity
Doubles
No. 1 -- No. 2 Hayley Carter/Whitney Kay (NC) d. Tina Jiang/Madeleine Hamilton (YALE) 6-0
No. 2 -- No. 16 Kate Vialle/Jessie Aney (NC) d. Ree Ree Li/Valerie Shklover (YALE) 6-1
No. 3 -- Ashley Dai/Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (NC) vs. Carol Finke/Caroline Lynch (YALE) 5-1, unfinished
Singles
No. 1 -- No. 6 Hayley Carter (NC) d. Tina Jiang (YALE) 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 -- No. 88 Whitney Kay (NC) vs. Madeleine Hamilton (YALE) 6-7, 2-0, unfinished
No. 3 -- Kate Vialle (NC) vs. Ree Ree Li (YALE) 6-2, 6-3, unfinished
No. 4 -- No. 68 Jessie Aney (NC) vs. Sherry Li (YALE) 6-3, 2-4, unfinished
No. 5 -- Marika Akkerman (NC) d. Courtney Amos (YALE) 6-2, 6-0
No. 6 - No. 112 Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (NC) def. Carol Finke (YALE) 6-2, 6-0
Order of Completion: Doubles 1-2; Singles 1-5-6
