North Carolina
Georgia Tech
No. 18 Yellow Jackets Sting No. 17 Tar Heels 5-2
April 10, 2011 | Men's Tennis
April 10, 2011
ATLANTA, Ga. - After staying close all afternoon, No. 17 North Carolina faltered late against No. 18 Georgia Tech Sunday in Atlanta, losing 5-2.
Much like UNC's 4-3 victory over the Yellow Jackets in late January, this Atlantic Coast Conference regular season rematch between the two top-20 schools came down to the wire.
Georgia Tech took the doubles point with efficiency behind wins at No. 1 and 3 doubles. North Carolina did gain some momentum through #59 Stefan Hardy and Joey Burkhardt, who won their third straight match at No. 2 doubles, 8-6.
The Tar Heels quickly notched the match at one apiece on court two. Sixty-seventh ranked Juan Spir retired two games into the second set, giving Brennan Boyajian the 6-3, 2-0 victory. The two schools then traded points in quick succession on the final two courts. After Georgia Tech won in the sixth flight, William Parker brought the Tar Heels level once more with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Magin Ortiga at number five. The Yellow Jackets then went up 3-2 at the fourth flight, meaning the match would come down to the two three-setters unfolding at one and three singles.
The match was ultimately decided when Tech's Kevin King took out Hardy in an exciting affair at three, 5-7, 7-6(7), 6-2, but the match of the day took place on the first court. Jose Hernandez, ranked No. 38, was facing the Yellow Jackets' No. 16 Guillermo Gomez. Hernandez had defeated Gomez in their first match earlier this season, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, handing Gomez his first-ever singles defeat against North Carolina. Both competitors entered the match full of confidence. Hernandez was undefeated in ACC play, while on Friday Gomez handed Duke's No. 6 Henrique Cunha his first-ever ACC loss.
Hernandez and Gomez swapped the first two sets. The pair finished the third on serve, and Hernandez pushed Gomez to the brink before losing 12-10 in the tiebreak.
The Tar Heels (11-6, 6-2 ACC) look to rebound Wednesday, when they welcome No. 11 Duke to the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. The Carlyle Cup showdown gets going at 3 p.m. and is free to the public.
No. 18 Georgia Tech 5, No. 17 North Carolina 2
Records: GT 16-3 (7-2 ACC) UNC 11-6 (6-2 ACC)
Singles:
1. #16 Guillermo Gomez (GT) d. #38 Jose Hernandez (UNC) 6-7(4), 6-3, -6(10)
2. Brennan Boyajian (UNC) d. #67 Juan Spir (GT) 6-3, 2-0 (ret.)
3. Kevin King (GT) d. Stefan Hardy 5-7, 7-6(7), 6-2
4. Eliot Potvin (GT) d. Joey Burkhardt (UNC) 6-4, 6-0
5. William Parker (UNC) d. Magin Ortiga (GT) 6-3, 6-1
6. Dean O'Brien (GT) d. Taylor Meyer (UNC) 6-0, 6-1
Doubles:
1. #14 Juan Spir and Kevin King (GT) d. #21 Jose Hernandez and Brennan Boyajian (UNC) 8-3
2. #59 Stefan Hardy and Joey Burkhardt (UNC) d. Eliot Potvin and Ryan Smith (GT) 8-6
3. Guillermo Gomez and Dean O'Brien (GT) d. Cameron Ahari and William Parker (UNC) 8-1
Order of Finish:
Singles: 2, 6, 5, 4, 3*, 1
Doubles: 1, 3*, 2
Players Mentioned
