UNC Earns 4-1 Win Over Visiting Georgia Tech

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The eighth-ranked UNC men's tennis team beat visiting Georgia Tech 4-1 Saturday at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, improving to 8-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play and 17-4 overall.

Georgia Tech fell to 1-9 in the ACC and 5-14 overall, but brought to Chapel Hill a very competitive team. "Their record doesn't reflect how good they are," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "They've got a lot of experience. Credit to them – we knew it would be a tough match, so it's good to get out of it."

Playing on a warm, sunny afternoon, UNC opened by claiming the doubles point. The first win came from sophomore Simon Soendergaard and freshman Mac Kiger, 6-2 on Court 3. Junior Blaine Boyden and freshman Benjamin Sigouin sealed it, breaking serve for a 6-4 victory on Court 2.

Sophomore William Blumberg and senior Robert Kelly, the top-ranked doubles duo in the nation, didn't finish their match before the point was decided, but wasted no time picking up points in singles.

Blumberg was the first to wrap up, winning 6-4, 6-2 over No. 54 Carlos Divar on Court 1 to put the Tar Heels up 2-0. Kelly then won 6-4, 6-3 on Court 3 to put UNC within a point of the victory.

The Yellow Jackets won the next match to wrap up. On Court 5, Andrew Li and Tar Heel freshman Mac Kiger went into a tiebreaker in the first set. After Li won that 7-5, he rolled to a 6-2 win in the second to make it UNC 3, Georgia Tech 1.

The three remaining singles matches all went into third sets. On Court 4, UNC's Blaine Boyden fell to Georgia Tech's Elijah Melendez 3-6 in the first set, but came back to win the next two, 6-3 and 6-2, to clinch the match for the Tar Heels. At that point, the matches on Court 2 (Soendergard vs. GT's Michael Kay) and Court 6 (UNC sophomore Josh Peck vs. Chris Yun) were suspended.

The Tar Heels have a quick turnaround to their next match, a home meeting with Clemson on Sunday at 1 p.m. Paul expects the experience of playing tough back-to-back matches late in the season to be a plus for his team. "That what we train for," he said. "That's the ACC Tournament, the NCAA Tournament. So that's a good thing for us."

Sunday's match is the last at home during the regular season and the Tar Heels will honor their only senior, Robert Kelly.

No. 8 UNC 4, Georgia Tech 1
Doubles
Order of match finish: (3,2)
1. #1 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) vs. #21 Divar/Kay (GT), 5-6 UF
2. Sigouin/Boyden (UNC) d. Yun/Melendez (GT), 6-4
3. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC) d. Freestone/Li, 6-2

Singles
Order of match finish: (1,3,5,4)
1. #2 William Blumberg (UNC) d. #54 Carlos Divar (GT), 6-4, 6-2
2. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) vs. Michael Kay (GT), 7-5, 4-6, 0-0 UF
3. #99 Robert Kelly (UNC) d. Phillip Gresk (GT), 6-4, 6-3
4. Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Elijah Melendez (GT), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. Andrew Li (GT) d. Mac Kiger (UNC), 7-6(5), 6-2
6. Josh Peck (UNC) vs. Chris Yun (GT), 3-6, 6-3, 3-3 UF

Records: UNC 17-4 (8-1 ACC), Georgia Tech 5-14 (1-9 ACC)

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University of North Carolina Athletics

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Players Mentioned

William Blumberg

Blaine Boyden

Robert Kelly

Mac Kiger

Josh Peck

Benjamin Sigouin

Simon Soendergaard

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