Arkansas Defeats Men's Tennis at NCAA's

Saturday, May 12

TBA

North Carolina

NCAA Regional

May 12, 2001 | Men's Tennis

By: UNC Athletic Communications

May 12, 2001

DALLAS, TEX. -- Twenty-seventh ranked Arkansas defeated North Carolina 4-0 in the first round of the NCAA Men's Tennis Regional on the campus of Southern Methodist University. Arkansas (16-9) advances to play SMU in the regional championship match Sunday, while UNC concludes its season at 11-9.

Arkansas captured the momentum from the outset winning the doubles point in three tightly contested matches. Greg Archer and Marcio Petrone improved to 11-3 overall with an 8-5 victory at the number two doubles position.

Five of the Razorbacks' top six singles starters have recorded 20 or more victories this season. Arkansas continued that strong singles play on Saturday led by Oggie Kolev who recorded his 25th win of the season 6-2, 6-3 over Nicholas Monroe. Henrik Tofft and Eduardo Pacheco won in straight sets over David Cheatwood and Chad Riley to seal the Razorbacks' victory. The remaining three singles matches were not completed once Arkansas earned the match clinching fourth point.

Arkansas Coach Robert Cox remarked that his team played superbly in capturing its eighth win against a top 50 opponent this season. "We played really well today. I have all the respect for North Carolina and their coaches. They are very well coached, and sneaky good. Everything kind of clicked for us today. It was one of our better matches all year"

"They were the better team today, no doubt," UNC Head Coach Saul Paul said. "I feel sorry for my two seniors. They have been great both on and off the court, but Arkansas was the better team today."

Despite losing its top two players to graduation last year, North Carolina earned it's ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last 10 years in 2001. The Tar Heels also finished tied for 2nd in the ACC with a 6-2 league record.

#27 Arkansas 4
#33 North Carolina 0

Doubles

#1 Johannson/Tofft [#26] (UA) d. Cheatwood/Monroe 8-4

#2 Petrone/Archer (UNC) d. Bubis/Kolev (UA) 8-5

#3 Kullenberg/Pacheco (UA) d. Meniane/Riley 8-6

Singles

#1 Oskar Johansson [#4] (UA) led Marcio Petrone (UNC) 6-4, 3-2 DNF

#2 Henrik Tofft [#86] (UA) d. David Cheatwood (UNC) 6-3, 6-3

#3 Oggie Kolev (UA) d. Nicholas Monroe (UNC) 6-2, 6-3

#4 Trystan Meniane (UNC) led Magnus Kullenberg (UA) 6-2, 3-4 DNF

#5 Greg Archer (UNC) vs. Aleksey Bubis (UA) 6-1, 1-6 DNF

#6 Eduardo Pacheco (UA) d. Chad Riley (UNC) 6-3, 6-2 *