Zampardo Secures NCAA Spot with Strong Finish at ITA Sectionals
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – On a quiet Sunday in Philadelphia, with the courts at Penn beginning to empty out, one Tar Heel was still swinging.
Maddy Zampardo finished Carolina women’s tennis’ run at the ITA Sectionals with the kind of statement win that changes a season. She outlasted NC State’s Victoria Osuigwe 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 in the playoff 5–8 singles round, a gritty three-set victory that sealed her place in the upcoming NCAA Individual Championships.
The stakes were simple: win and you’re in. Zampardo handled that pressure.
She blitzed through the opening set 6-1, dropped a tight second set 5-7, then reset and dominated the decider 6-1 to “punch her ticket” to the national stage. The result locks in her spot in the NCAA singles field and, paired with her earlier work in doubles, confirms her as the only Tar Heel this season set to compete in both singles and doubles at NCAAs.
A long week in Philadelphia gave Carolina plenty of data points. It ended with clarity about who will carry the program’s banner when the stakes rise again.
Zampardo Leads the Charge
Zampardo’s Sunday win capped a strong individual run at Penn. She had already put together straight-set victories earlier in the week:
- Defeated Pearlie Zhang (Princeton) 6-1, 6-4 on Thursday
- Beat Leena Friedman (Yale) 7-5, 6-4 on Friday
Her only singles loss in the event came in an all-Carolina clash on Saturday, when Theadora Rabman edged her 7-5, 6-4. Zampardo responded the right way: by returning on Sunday and playing her way into the NCAA field.
Nguyen Stamps Her Authority
Alexis Nguyen, ranked No. 85, delivered one of the cleanest bodies of work in the draw.
She tore through her Thursday and Friday singles assignments without blinking:
- 6-3, 6-2 over Salome Fluri (McNeese State)
- 6-0, 6-0 against Paula Corbalan (Jackson State)
- 6-0, 6-2 against Reese Miller (Michigan) on Saturday
Straight sets, barely a foothold for any opponent. It was the kind of ruthless efficiency coaches want to see as the calendar creeps toward championship season.
Nguyen also partnered in doubles with Manning to claim a 6-4, 6-3 win over Kollaritsch/Brook (Bellarmine) on Thursday, before falling 7-5, 6-3 to Murphy/Warren (Furman) on Friday.
Rabman’s Steady Week
Rabman quietly put together a productive tournament.
She opened singles play with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Jacqueline Soloveychik (BC) on Thursday, then followed it with a 7-5, 6-3 victory against Alyssa James (Virginia) on Friday. Her all-UNC win over Zampardo on Saturday underscored the depth in Carolina’s lineup.
In doubles, Rabman and Anna Frey showed resilience on Thursday, rallying from a set down to beat Chhiv/Zhang (Princeton) 3-6, 7-6 (6), 1-0 (6). Their run ended Friday with a 6-0, 7-5 defeat to Ogilvy/Friedman (Yale).
Evans and Hamilton Shine in Doubles
Despite singles setbacks, the pairing of Tatum Evans and Alanis Hamilton delivered one of the standout doubles performances of the week.
They opened on Thursday by dismantling Lee/Shen (Brown) 6-0, 6-3, then backed it up Friday with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 win over Schlepphorst/Velaga (Penn). On Saturday, they dug in for a three-set battle and edged Zozaya Menendez/Lam (Virginia) 6-7 (1), 6-4, 1-0 (2), showing composure in the match tiebreak.
In singles, both ran into turbulence. Evans, ranked No. 21, fell 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Penn’s Esha Velaga on Thursday and later withdrew (wo.) against Harvard’s Kavya Karra on Friday. Hamilton dropped a tight three-setter to Princeton’s Madeleine Jessup 6-0, 6-7 (3), 5-7 on Thursday before also conceding a walkover to Chloe Fouhety (Cornell) on Friday.
Mixed Results Across the Lineup
The rest of the Tar Heel squad experienced the full range of tournament tennis.
- Frey fought but fell in three sets to Vivian Yang (Virginia) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 on Thursday and later gave a walkover to Isabella Chhiv (Princeton) on Friday.
- Avery Nguyen pushed Claire An (Duke) to three sets before losing 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.
There were flashes of resilience, some tough scorelines, and a few walkovers that interrupted potential runs.
When the dust settled in Philadelphia, one storyline towered above the rest: Zampardo, still standing on Sunday, booking her place in both singles and doubles at the NCAA Individual Championships.
Now the question is simple. With a double ticket to the biggest stage in college tennis, how far can she take Carolina when the lights get brightest?
