Tar Heels Kick Off Spring With Shutouts

Saturday, January 20

Chapel Hill

3:00 PM

North Carolina

Wofford

The Tar Heels opened the 2018 season with wins over Bucknell and Wofford.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

January 20, 2018 | Men's Tennis

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The third-ranked North Carolina men's tennis team opened the 2018 spring season Saturday with a pair of homecourt wins, beating Bucknell 7-0 and Wofford 4-0. The Tar Heels (2-0) didn't drop a set in either match.

"It was good to play and to get some matches in," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "We're looking forward to playing Campbell on Monday."

The Tar Heels host the Camels Monday at 4:30 p.m. at Cone-Kenfield. The match was initially scheduled for Jan. 18 but was postponed due to snowy conditions.

Carolina kicked off 2018 Saturday morning against Bucknell, sweeping all six singles matches in straight sets. The match marked the first collegiate wins for freshmen Benjamin Sigouin and Mac Kiger, both of whom earned victories in singles and doubles. Sigouin played at No. 1 singles and doubles, and Kiger played at No. 2 doubles and No. 5 singles in their Tar Heel debuts. The two joined the squad just weeks ago at the start of the spring semester.

Robert Kelly, the team's only senior, and William Blumberg, the 2017 NCAA singles runner-up, rested in the morning but were in the afternoon lineup. The nation's No. 3 doubles team, they won 6-4 at No. 1 doubles then also played singles. At No. 1, Blumberg won his first set in a tiebreaker before the match was halted at 4-0. Kelly, at No. 3, earned a 6-0, 6-1 win.

Sophomore Josh Peck earned singles and doubles wins in both the morning and afternoon. Junior Blaine Boyden played doubles in both matches and won his morning singles match in straight sets at No. 3. His afternoon match was unfinished, but he'd been on the verge of winning, up 5-1 in the second set.

"It was good for the freshmen to play and contribute," Paul said. "Good to see Robert play, and see his senior leadership. And good to have William play.

"Josh Peck had a very good day, Bo Boyden had a very good day, everybody contributed. It was just a good day all around."

Jan. 20, 2017
Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.

No. 3 North Carolina 7, Bucknell 0
Doubles
Order of match finish: (3,1,2)
1. Sigouin/Peck (UNC) vs. Wright/Gerber (BU), 6-1
2. Kiger/Soendergaard (UNC) d. Kane/Erskine (BU), 6-3
3. Boyden/Kodali (UNC) d. Vitiuc/Krantz (BU), 6-1
Singles
Order of match finish: (6,2,5,4,3,1)
1. Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. Daniel Wright (BU), 6-2, 6-0
2. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) d. Max Kane (BU), 6-1. 6-0
3. Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Max McDonald (BU), 6-1, 6-0
4. Josh Peck (UNC) d. Ben Gerber (BU), 6-2, 6-0
5. Mac Kiger (UNC) d. Colin Sacco (BU), 6-1, 6-2
6. Anu Kodali (UNC) d. Adrien Crastes, 6-0, 6-1

Records: UNC 1-0, Bucknell 0-1

No. 3 North Carolina 4, Wofford 0
Doubles
Order of match finish: (2,1,3)
1. Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) vs. Chousa/Crawford (WOF), 6-4
2. Peck/Sigouin (UNC) d. Casasolas/Williams (WOF), 6-0
3. Boyden/Kiger (UNC) d. Cerbelli/Barr (WOF), 6-3

Singles
Order of match finish: (6,5,3)
1. William Blumberg (UNC) v. Lucas Cerbelli (WOF), 7-6(3), UNF
2. Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) v. Julian Chousa (WOF), 7-5, 0-1, UNF
3. Robert Kelly (UNC) d. Edu Villar (WOF), 6-0, 6-1
4. Blaine Boyden (UNC) v. Parks Schoen (WOF), 6-1, 5-1, UNF
5. Josh Peck (UNC) d. Kyle Barr (WOF), 6-1, 6-1
6. Mac Kiger (UNC) d. Javi Casasolas (WOF), 6-1, 6-0

Records: UNC 2-0, Wofford 1-1