April 5, 2000

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina's 37th-ranked women's tennis team won its fourth consecutive match Wednesday, topping No. 27 Virginia Commonwealth 5-2 at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

Junior Courtney Zalinski and senior Jessica Zaganczyk clinched the victory for the Tar Heels with their win at No. 2 doubles. The Carolina tandem topped the Rams' (12-5) Yana Sokolenko and Lyudmyla Teterina by a score of 9-8 to end the match. With the outcome decided, No. 1 and No. 3 doubles were not finished.

Zalinski also continued her spectacular singles run, trouncing Kate Vasylyeva (6-2, 6-2) at No. 3 for her sixth straight win. Also posting singles wins for the Heels were freshmen Kendrick Bunn and Kate Pinchbeck and junior Kristin Koenig.

North Carolina (9-8, 2-2 ACC) played without its No. 1 singles player, freshman Marlene Mejia, who was rested due to a coach's decision.

"I'm really proud of our team. We have turned a corner and are playing our best tennis in April, which is what we set out to do at the start of the season," said Tar Heel coach Roland Thornqvist. "We've played hard all season, and now we're playing well on top of that."

Carolina returns to ACC play this weekend with two key road matches. The Tar Heels face Maryland Saturday and Virginia Sunday. Both matches are at 1 p.m.

No. 37 North Carolina 5, No. 27 VCU 2

1. Martina Nedelkova (VCU) d. Jessica Zaganczyk (UNC), 6-3, 6-0

2. Raluca Ciulei (VCU) d. Caroline Hill (UNC), 6-1, 6-7, 6-4

3. Courtney Zalinski (UNC) d. Kate Vasylyeva (VCU), 6-2, 6-2

4. Kendrick Bunn (UNC) d. Yana Sokolenko (VCU), 6-3, 6-2

5. Kate Pinchbeck (UNC) d. Lyudmyla Teterina (VCU), 7-5, 6-2

6. Kristin Koenig (UNC) d. Siri Thayaprasat (VCU), 6-0, 6-2

Doubles

1. Did not finish

2. Zalinski/Zaganczyk (UNC) d. Sokolenko/Teterina (VCU), 9-8

3. Did not finish