Friday, February 16
Seattle, Wash.
3:00 PM ET
North Carolina
4
vs
0
Notre Dame
Freshman Benjamin Sigouin earned wins at No. 2 singles and doubles.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Tar Heels Advance At ITA National Team Indoors
February 16, 2018 | Men's Tennis
SEATTLE – The UNC men's tennis team opened play in the ITA National Indoor Championships Friday afternoon with a 4-0 win over previously unbeaten Notre Dame. Playing at the University of Washington's Nordstrom Tennis Center, the third-ranked Tar Heels improved to 8-0 overall while the No. 22 Fighting Irish fell to 7-1.
After the Tar Heel duo of sophomore William Blumberg and senior Robert Kelly won 6-1 in doubles on Court 1, Notre Dame won on Court 3 and the point came down to Court 2, where Notre Dame's team of Alex Lebedev and William Howells at one point led 4-1. But Carolina freshman Benjamin Sigouin and junior Anu Kodali fought back to win 7-5 and put UNC up 1-0.
In singles, the Tar Heels won the first set on all six courts. Sigouin was the first to wrap up, winning 6-2, 6-1 on Court 2. On Court 1, Blumberg squeaked out a 7-5 win in the first set but then rolled 6-0 in the second to put the Tar Heels up 3-0. It was junior Simon Soendergaard on Court 4 who clinched the team win, beating Richard Ciamarra, part of the doubles team to which Soendergaard fell, 6-4, 6-1 for the team victory.
With the win, UNC advances to the tournament quarterfinals and will face Texas A&M on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. EST (3:30 in Seattle). The sixth-ranked Aggies advanced Friday with a 4-0 win over No. 11 Florida.
The Tar Heels won this tournament in 2016 and reached the semis last spring.
For the complete draw, click here.
For all of the first-round results, click here.
No. 3 North Carolina 4, No. 22 Notre Dame 0
Doubles
Order of match finish: (1,3,2)
1. #11 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) d. Kempin/McCormick (ND), 6-1
2. Kodali/Sigouin (UNC) d. Lebedev/Howells (ND), 7-5
3. Ciamarra/Gamble (ND) d. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC), 6-3
Singles
Order of match finish: (2,1,4)
1. #4 William Blumberg (UNC) d. #28 Alex Lebedev (ND), 7-5, 6-0
2. #57 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. #118 Guillermo Cabrera (ND), 6-1, 6-2
3. #81 Robert Kelly (UNC) vs. Tristan McCormick (ND), 6-3, 3-4, UF
4. #124 Simon Soendergaard (UNC) d. Richard Ciamarra (ND), 6-4, 6-1
5. Josh Peck (UNC) vs. Matt Gamble (ND), 6-3, 4-5
6. Blaine Boyden (UNC) vs. Grayson Broadjus (ND), 6-1, 4-3
Records: UNC 8-0, Notre Dame 7-1
After the Tar Heel duo of sophomore William Blumberg and senior Robert Kelly won 6-1 in doubles on Court 1, Notre Dame won on Court 3 and the point came down to Court 2, where Notre Dame's team of Alex Lebedev and William Howells at one point led 4-1. But Carolina freshman Benjamin Sigouin and junior Anu Kodali fought back to win 7-5 and put UNC up 1-0.
In singles, the Tar Heels won the first set on all six courts. Sigouin was the first to wrap up, winning 6-2, 6-1 on Court 2. On Court 1, Blumberg squeaked out a 7-5 win in the first set but then rolled 6-0 in the second to put the Tar Heels up 3-0. It was junior Simon Soendergaard on Court 4 who clinched the team win, beating Richard Ciamarra, part of the doubles team to which Soendergaard fell, 6-4, 6-1 for the team victory.
UNC 4 Notre Dame 0 Soendergaard clinches match, 6-4, 6-1 at #4 #ITAIndoors pic.twitter.com/tYcs3irvKO
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 16, 2018
With the win, UNC advances to the tournament quarterfinals and will face Texas A&M on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. EST (3:30 in Seattle). The sixth-ranked Aggies advanced Friday with a 4-0 win over No. 11 Florida.
The Tar Heels won this tournament in 2016 and reached the semis last spring.
For the complete draw, click here.
For all of the first-round results, click here.
No. 3 North Carolina 4, No. 22 Notre Dame 0
Doubles
Order of match finish: (1,3,2)
1. #11 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) d. Kempin/McCormick (ND), 6-1
2. Kodali/Sigouin (UNC) d. Lebedev/Howells (ND), 7-5
3. Ciamarra/Gamble (ND) d. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC), 6-3
Singles
Order of match finish: (2,1,4)
1. #4 William Blumberg (UNC) d. #28 Alex Lebedev (ND), 7-5, 6-0
2. #57 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. #118 Guillermo Cabrera (ND), 6-1, 6-2
3. #81 Robert Kelly (UNC) vs. Tristan McCormick (ND), 6-3, 3-4, UF
4. #124 Simon Soendergaard (UNC) d. Richard Ciamarra (ND), 6-4, 6-1
5. Josh Peck (UNC) vs. Matt Gamble (ND), 6-3, 4-5
6. Blaine Boyden (UNC) vs. Grayson Broadjus (ND), 6-1, 4-3
Records: UNC 8-0, Notre Dame 7-1
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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