University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels' 2006 Season Ends With Sweet 16 Loss To Ohio State
May 20, 2006 | Men's Tennis
May 20, 2006
STANFORD, CALIF. - The University of North Carolina saw its best men's tennis season in 14 years end Saturday morning as the No. 6-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the No. 11-ranked Tar Heels 4-0 in the NCAA Sweet 16 round at the Taube Tennis Center on the Stanford University campus.
Ohio State continued its best season in school history by improving its record to 28-1 with its win over North Carolina. The only Buckeye loss this year was a 5-2 setback against Notre Dame, a team UNC defeated 4-3. The Tar Heels, who advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1993, finished their finest season record-wise since the 1992 team also finished with the same 25-5 record this year's team compiled. The 1992 team was an NCAA quarterfinalist.
The 25 wins by North Carolina this season tied the school record for wins in a season. The only other team to win 25 matches was the 1992 team. Led by a victory by the No. 1-ranked doubles team in the country, Scott Green and Ross Wilson, who defeated UNC's No. 5 team of Raian Luchici and Brad Pomeroy, the Buckeyes won the doubles point with an 8-3 win at No. 1 and an 8-2 win at No. 2 with Bryan Koniecko and Drew Eberly downing UNC's Lenny Gullan and David Stone.
UNC was then faced with having to win four singles matches against a team which has four nationally-ranked singles players in its lineup. Ross Wilson defeated UNC's Aly Mandour 6-3, 6-2 followed by a win at No. 3 by Devin Mullings, ranked No. 114, over the Tar Heels' Derek Porter 6-3, 6-1. Ohio State clinched the match at No. 1 as No. 33 Bryan Koniecko defeated UNC's Raian Luchici 6-3, 6-2.
It was the first time in 30 matches this season the Tar Heels were shutout. It was also the final dual match in the careers of UNC seniors Raian Luchici, Brad Pomeroy, Derek Porter and Aly Mandour.
"You just have to give Ohio State credit, they played a great match. They played great doubles and jumped on us early," said North Carolina head coach Sam Paul. "Ty's done a great job of coaching that team. I'm going to miss coaching my seniors, I love my seniors. They've done so much, so we hate to see the year end, we just got beat by a better team today." Carolina's season is not completely over as Luchici begins play next Wednesday in the NCAA singles competition and on Thursday Luchici and Pomeroy play in the NCAA doubles tournament.
May 20, 2006
Taube Tennis Center * Stanford, Calif.
Doubles
2. Bryan Koniecko and Drew Eberly (OSU) def. Lenny Gullan and David Stone (UNC), 8-2
3. Chris Klingemann and Devin Mullings (OSU) led Sebastian Guejman and Derek Porter (UNC), 6-4 -- DNF
Order of finish: 2, 1
Singles
1. #33 ranked Bryan Koniecko (OSU) def. #10 ranked Raian Luchici (UNC), 6-3, 6-2
2. #86 ranked Chris Klingemann (OSU) led Brad Pomeroy (UNC), 6-2, 3-2 -- DNF
3. #114 ranked Devin Mullings (OSU) def. Derek Porter (UNC), 6-3, 6-1
4. #98 ranked Steven Moneke (OSU) led Benjamin Carlotti (UNC), 6-2, 5-0 -- DNF
5. Dennis Mertens (OSU) led Sebastian Guejman (UNC), 6-2, 1-5 -- DNF
6. Ross Wilson (OSU) def. Aly Mandour (UNC), 6-3, 6-2
Order of finish: 6, 3, 1
Records: Ohio State 28-1; North Carolina 25-5
Players Mentioned
