Fourth-year junior Daevenia Achong secured her second top-25 victory of the month, but it wasn’t enough, as No. 9 Miami fell to top-ranked North Carolina, 6-1, Friday evening at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

“These kids are playing ball,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “I’m so proud of how we’re playing for each other, for this school and for something bigger than simply our own performances. The mindset is paying dividends right now.”

After a quick bounce-back win in Coral Gables against in-state rival Florida State last week, No. 10 Miami took to the road once again, dominatingly beating Virginia Tech, 6-1, in Blacksburg to begin its two-game Virginia road stretch.

“It’s not a recipe for success when you’re giving up 10 runs in the first four innings,” Miami head coach Gino DiMare said. “At the end of the day, we have to get a better start from our Friday guy and we have to play better defense. You score 11 runs, you should win most of the games.”

“[Our doubles’ teams] have been gelling well,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “Against the better teams, we need to come out a little bit faster, but teams have been gelling well, complimenting each other well, and coming away with mostly wins.”

“As a former player, I am excited we are able to bring collegiate tennis matches to the Miami Open,” tournament director James Blake said in a Miami Open release. “Our goal is to make this an annual event here in Miami.”

“I have to give credit to a solid NC State team today. Their serves took them through some pretty important situations and gave them an opportunity to win,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “They were able to make adjustments in big moments that we didn’t make. I’m proud of our effort. We’re definitely taking steps in the right direction.”

“We played ball tonight. The conditions and being on the road didn’t seem to faze us,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “We stayed coachable and fought our tails off. I’m proud of this crew.”

As Miami walked onto the courts Sunday afternoon, something was noticeably different about its uniforms. In a moving gesture, the whole team wore shirts emblazoned with the outline of Ukraine, filled in with the country’s colors of blue and yellow, in solidarity with fellow teammate Diana Khodan, a native Ukrainian.

“Just really great for [Achong] to be able to clinch that tonight,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “That last ball down the line was an incredible get, and I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t have gotten that ball last year … So, she has gotten better, and I think she is believing in herself and playing good tennis.”