University of North Carolina Athletics
Clemson Upsets Carolina In ACC Tournament Semifinals
April 17, 2004 | Men's Tennis
April 17, 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. - No. 45 Clemson won its eighth match in a row as the Tigers' men's tennis team upset 13th-ranked North Carolina 4-2 Saturday afternoon in the 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship semifinals at the Millbrook Exchange Park Tennis Center. It was only the fourth loss of the season for North Carolina which fell to 22-4 overall while Clemson improved to 23-10 and will play in the ACC Championhip match Sunday at 11 a.m.
It was the first time this year the Tar Heels have lost to a team ranked lower than them in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national rankings.
"Clemson outplayed us today. Give credit to the Tigers," said UNC head coach Sam Paul. "But I am very proud of my team. We were down 3-0 in the match and could have quit but we battled back and still had a chance at the end. Nick Monroe was a great warrior today at No. 1 singles. His second set tiebreaker win was amazing. I'm proud of Andy Metzler for getting a big win for us today and for Raian Luchici for battling back to win a three-setter. But if Clemson plays as well tomorrow as it did today it will have a great chance to win the championship."
Clemson won the doubles point as wins at No. 2 and No. 3 staked the Tigers to an early 1-0 lead. The Tigers went up in singles by a 3-0 score as Jarmaine Jenkins won at No. 3 and Ryan Young at No. 6, both victories coming in straight sets. Carolina's Andy Metzler cut Clemson's lead to 3-1 by beating Goran Sterijovski 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 at No. 2 singles and then sophomore Raian Luchici rallied to beat John Boetsch 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 at No. 4 singles to cut Clemson's lead to 3-2.
oth the No. 1 and No. 5 matches went to three sets as well. UNC's Nick Monroe rallied in the second set to force a tiebreaker that he won 13-11 over Nathan Thompson but the match was eventually decided at No. 5 as Damiisa Robinson of Clemson came from one set down to defeat UNC's Geoff Boyd by a 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 tally.
Despite the loss, the Tar Heels, by virtue of sharing the ACC regular season title, are still a virtual lock to receive an NCAA Tournament bid. Those will be announced May 5. UNC has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 11 of 12 times from 1992-2003.
No. 45 Clemson 4, No. 13 North Carolina 2
Doubles (Clemson wins doubles point)
1. Jarmaine Jenkins/Nathan Thompson (CU) led #13 Nick Monroe/Geoff Boyd (UNC), 6-5, suspended
2. John Boetsch/Damiisa Robinson (CU) d. Andy Metzler/Brad Pomeroy (UNC), 8-4
3. Ryan Young/Brett Twente (CU) d. Jonathan Janda/Raian Luchici (UNC), 8-5
Singles
1. Nathan Thompson (CU) led #32 Nick Monroe (UNC), 6-3, 6-7 (11-13), 5-2
2. Andy Metzler (UNC) d. Goran Sterijovski (CU), 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
3. Jarmaine Jenkins (CU) d. Derek Porter (UNC), 6-1, 6-3
4. Raian Luchici (UNC) d. John Boetsch (CU), 3-6, 7-5, 6-4
5. Damiisa Robinson (CU) d. Geoff Boyd (UNC), 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
6. Ryan Young (CU) d. Brad Pomeroy (UNC), 6-4, 6-3
Records: Clemson 23-10; UNC 22-4
Players Mentioned
