University of North Carolina Athletics
Friday, April 27
Cary, N.C.
5:30 PM
North Carolina
4
vs
0
NC State (ACC Quarterfinals)
On Court 1, sophomore William Blumberg earned one of the Tar Heels' three singles wins.
Photo by: ACC
Tar Heels Advance With Shutout Win Over NC State
April 27, 2018 | Men's Tennis
CARY, N.C. – The North Carolina men's tennis team earned its fifth consecutive trip to the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinals with a 4-0 win over No. 22 NC State Friday evening at Cary Tennis Park.
"NC State has got a heck of a team," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "It's good to get out of here with a victory."
The sixth-ranked Tar Heels (21-4) are seeded second in the tournament and received a double-bye into Friday's quarterfinals. Next is a meeting with No. 11 Florida State on Saturday at 2 p.m. The winner of the matchup, the second between UNC and FSU in the past eight days, advances to Sunday's championship. Third-seeded FSU (27-3) reached the semis with a 4-1 win over No. 29 Duke on Friday.
The Tar Heels grabbed the doubles point from the Wolfpack, but not without a fight. Junior Blaine Boyden and freshman Benjamin Sigouin won 7-5 in a tiebreaker on Court 2 just after sophomore Simon Soendergaard and freshman Mac Kiger wrapped up a 7-5 win on Court 3. (On Court 1, senior Robert Kelly and sophomore William Blumberg were in a tiebreaker when play was suspended.)
Kelly, on Court 4, was the first to lock up a singles win. The senior won his first set 6-2 and made even shorter work of the second, rolling to a 6-0 win. "It's a little bit like a snowball when you get the momentum and start feeling good," he said. "Hopefully we can carry that on for tomorrow."
On Court 1, Blumberg also pitched a shutout in his second set, winning 7-5, 6-0 to give the Tar Heels a 3-0 lead. With several courts close to wrapping up, it was Boyden who was able to clinch the match, winning 7-5, 6-1 on Court 5. At that point, matches on Courts 2, 3 and 6 were quickly suspended and UNC could look ahead to the semifinals, which will start just about 18 hours after Friday's match finished.
For ticket information, click here.
For information on the ACC Championships, click here.
No. 6 North Carolina 4, No. 22 NC State 0
Doubles
Order of match finish: (3,2)
1. #1 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) v. Saveljic/Saveljic (NCST), 6-6 UF
2. Boyden/Sigouin (UNC) d. #50 Ogden/Galarneau (NCST), 7-6(7-5)
3. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC) d. Babelis/Malyshev (NCST), 7-5
Singles
Order of match finish: ( 4,1,5)
1. #3 William Blumberg (UNC) d. #45 Alexis Galarneau (NCST), 7-5, 6-0
2. #30 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. Tadas Babelis (NCST), 6-3, 4-6 UF
3. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) d. #123 Igor Saveljic (NCST), 6-4, 4-4 UF
4. #87 Robert Kelly (UNC) d. Ivan Saveljic (NCST), 6-4, 7-5
5. Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Georgiy Malyshev, 7-5, 6-1
6. Mac Kiger (UNC) vs. Robert Turzak (NCST), 6-4, 5-3 UF
Records: UNC 21-4, NC State 17-8
"NC State has got a heck of a team," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "It's good to get out of here with a victory."
The sixth-ranked Tar Heels (21-4) are seeded second in the tournament and received a double-bye into Friday's quarterfinals. Next is a meeting with No. 11 Florida State on Saturday at 2 p.m. The winner of the matchup, the second between UNC and FSU in the past eight days, advances to Sunday's championship. Third-seeded FSU (27-3) reached the semis with a 4-1 win over No. 29 Duke on Friday.
The Tar Heels grabbed the doubles point from the Wolfpack, but not without a fight. Junior Blaine Boyden and freshman Benjamin Sigouin won 7-5 in a tiebreaker on Court 2 just after sophomore Simon Soendergaard and freshman Mac Kiger wrapped up a 7-5 win on Court 3. (On Court 1, senior Robert Kelly and sophomore William Blumberg were in a tiebreaker when play was suspended.)
Kelly, on Court 4, was the first to lock up a singles win. The senior won his first set 6-2 and made even shorter work of the second, rolling to a 6-0 win. "It's a little bit like a snowball when you get the momentum and start feeling good," he said. "Hopefully we can carry that on for tomorrow."
On Court 1, Blumberg also pitched a shutout in his second set, winning 7-5, 6-0 to give the Tar Heels a 3-0 lead. With several courts close to wrapping up, it was Boyden who was able to clinch the match, winning 7-5, 6-1 on Court 5. At that point, matches on Courts 2, 3 and 6 were quickly suspended and UNC could look ahead to the semifinals, which will start just about 18 hours after Friday's match finished.
For ticket information, click here.
For information on the ACC Championships, click here.
No. 6 North Carolina 4, No. 22 NC State 0
Doubles
Order of match finish: (3,2)
1. #1 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) v. Saveljic/Saveljic (NCST), 6-6 UF
2. Boyden/Sigouin (UNC) d. #50 Ogden/Galarneau (NCST), 7-6(7-5)
3. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC) d. Babelis/Malyshev (NCST), 7-5
Singles
Order of match finish: ( 4,1,5)
1. #3 William Blumberg (UNC) d. #45 Alexis Galarneau (NCST), 7-5, 6-0
2. #30 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. Tadas Babelis (NCST), 6-3, 4-6 UF
3. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) d. #123 Igor Saveljic (NCST), 6-4, 4-4 UF
4. #87 Robert Kelly (UNC) d. Ivan Saveljic (NCST), 6-4, 7-5
5. Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Georgiy Malyshev, 7-5, 6-1
6. Mac Kiger (UNC) vs. Robert Turzak (NCST), 6-4, 5-3 UF
Records: UNC 21-4, NC State 17-8
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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