N. Carolina eases into second round

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — No. 4 North Carolina needed just two hours to move into the second round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championship, rolling past Atlantic Sun champion East Tennessee State, 4-0, Friday afternoon at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. Zoe De Bruycker, Shinann Featherston and Jelena Durisic were singles winners for the Tar Heels.

Carolina (24-5) wasted little time moving ahead in doubles, using the All-America duo of Featherston and McHale to jump out to a quick lead. The seventh-ranked Tar Heel tandem easily disposed of Paula Jaime and Karina Kedzo on court one, 8-1. Durisic and Tessa Lyons then took care of Kelly Holtzhausen and Marine Wieliczko at No. 2, 8-3, to clinch the doubles point.

De Bruycker did not drop a game in continuing her surge to close the season. The Saratoga, Calif., sophomore thumped Holtzhausen, 6-0, 6-0, to give Carolina a 2-0 lead less than an hour into singles.

Featherston was not far behind at No. 3, finishing off Wieliczko in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2, to move the Tar Heels within a point of the second round for a 10th consecutive season.

Durisic completed the sweep on court two, winning the final eight games of her match with Jaime en route to a 6-3, 6-0 victory.