Michigan's NCAA tourney run ends for women's tennis in Sweet 16

University of Michigan tennis player Lily Jones.

The No. 12 Michigan women’s tennis team needed third-set wins on two courts to keep the Wolverines' season alive but could not get the final push they needed and and fell short in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.

North Carolina, ranked No. 5, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-2 win over Michigan (21-7) at the Tar Heels’ Chewning Tennis Center on Friday. This was the fourth straight year the Wolverines reached the Super Regional and they were coming off the program’s first Final Four appearance last season. The Tar Heels (27-3) advance to the quarterfinals, which will be played at the University of Georgia.

More: Michigan women's tennis carries chip on shoulder into Sweet 16 match

Michigan trailed 1-0 after losing the doubles point and then North Carolina built a 2-0 lead on Court 2 as Oby Kajuru defeated Lily Jones, who clinched Michigan’s trip to the Sweet 16 last Sunday, with a straight-set win.

Emily Sartz-Lunde gave the Wolverines their first point with a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 4 singles. Piper Charney, ranked No. 8 in singles, tied the match with a 6-3, 6-2 win on the top court. But North Carolina regained the match lead, 3-2, as Anna Frey defeated Jessica Bernales, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, on Court 5.

The Wolverines needed to win the remaining two matches, both dogfights on Courts 3 and 6 that went to third sets after Michigan won the first set on both courts.

Reese Miller, Michigan’s most consistent player this season, came back in the first set from 2-4 to win 7-5 against Tatum Evans. Laura Rahnel trailed in her first set, 1-3, before winning 6-4. Miller lost her second set 5-7, and Rahnel lost 4-6 in the must-win matches for the Wolverines.

Miller trailed 1-3 in the third set but got to 4-4. She served at 5-6 in the set but was broken to end Michigan’s comeback attempt as she fell, 7-5, 5-7, 5-7. Rahnel built a 4-2 lead in the third, but her match was suspended at 5-6.

The Wolverines had won seven-straight road matches until falling to North Carolina.

Michigan struggled at the start of the season and was 1-4 and raked 76th. But the Wolverines regrouped and won its fourth straight Big Ten championship, sharing it with Ohio State and USC, after going 12-1 in conference play. The Wolverines then won their fourth Big Ten in the last five seasons.