Saturday, April 28
Cary, N.C.
2 p.m.
North Carolina
4
vs
0
Florida State (ACC Semifinals)
Mac Kiger earned UNC's first singles win on Saturday vs. FSU
Tar Heels Shut Out FSU To Earn Finals Spot
April 28, 2018 | Men's Tennis
CARY, N.C. – Sixth-ranked North Carolina blanked No. 11 Florida State 4-0 Saturday at Cary Tennis Park to advance in the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Tennis Championship and earn a spot in Sunday's title match. The Tar Heels will meet No. 1 Wake Forest, the tournament's top seed, at 2 p.m. for the conference crown.
"Florida State is a really good team, a well-coached team, and we knew it would be a battle," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "We're happy to be moving on."
In Friday's quarterfinals win over NC State, the second-seeded Tar Heels managed to pull out a hotly-contested doubles point, with two of the matches going to tie-breakers. They got a bit more breathing room in Saturday's semifinals, with junior Blaine Boyden and freshman Benjamin Sigouin winning 6-2 on Court 2, then senior Robert Kelly and sophomore William Blumberg clinching the point with another 6-2 win on Court 1.
"We got off to a great start in doubles," Paul said. "I thought we played well up and down the line."
In singles, freshman Mac Kiger earned the first point, beating FSU's Chase Wood in straight sets – 6-3, 6-2 – on Court 6. Senior Robert Kelly was next off, with a 7-5, 6-2 win over the Seminoles' Jose Gracia on Court 4.
With the Tar Heels up 3-0, it was a race for the fourth point. On Court 3, UNC sophomore Simon Soendergaard was serving for the match, but No. 43 Lucas Poullain broke serve to stay alive and eventually force the match into a second-set tiebreaker after Soendergaard won the first 6-4.
On an adjacent court, Blumberg fell in his first set but bounced back to win the second then race through the third. With Soendergaard up 6-4 in his tiebreaker and about to seal the win, Blumberg finished off No. 43 Aziz Dougas 6-2 in the third set to clinch the team victory.
"I was glad to pull away there," Blumberg said. "I didn't mean to steal that from Simon – he played great today. I just got lucky."
The Tar Heels are in the title match for the first tine since 2014, when they fell to Virginia. Their most recent ACC championship was in 2002.
Wake Forest won the regular-season matchup 4-3 in Chapel Hill on March 28.
"We know their personnel, we know they've got a great team," Paul said.
The Tar Heel women are also playing for an ACC crown. They'll take on Duke at 10 a.m. at Cary Tennis Center prior to the men's match at 2.
"We had a great Tar Heel Nation here today and we hope they come back tomorrow, for the men and women," Paul said.
"It's a great match to come to – If you're in the area, I would come," Blumberg said. "It's going to be a battle, but this is what we train for. This is what I love."
No. 6 North Carolina 4, No. 11 Florida State 0
Doubles
Order of match finish: (2,1)
1. #1 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) d. #62 Iradukunda/Knaff (FSU), 6-2
2. Boyden/Sigouin (UNC) d. Dougaz/Poullain (FSU), 6-2
3. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC) vs. Gracia/Whitehurst (FSU), 4-3 UF
Singles
Order of match finish: (6,4,1)
1. #3 William Blumberg (UNC) d. #34 Aziz Dougaz (FSU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. #30 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) vs. #41 Guy Iradukunda (FSU), 6-2, 5-7, 2-3 UF
3. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) d. #43 Lucas Poullain (FSU), 6-4, 6-6 (6-4) UF
4. #87 Robert Kelly (UNC) d. Jose Gracia (FSU), 7-5, 6-2
5. Blaine Boyden (UNC) vs. Alex Knaff (FSU), 4-6, 6-2, 2-4 UF
6. Mac Kiger (UNC) vs. Chase Wood (FSU), 6-2, 6-1
Records: UNC 22-4, FSU 27-4
"Florida State is a really good team, a well-coached team, and we knew it would be a battle," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "We're happy to be moving on."
We'll see you in the Finals tomorrow!
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) April 28, 2018
But first, ?? how we got there with highlights from the 4-0 win against FSU pic.twitter.com/gqqLME6Pzt
In Friday's quarterfinals win over NC State, the second-seeded Tar Heels managed to pull out a hotly-contested doubles point, with two of the matches going to tie-breakers. They got a bit more breathing room in Saturday's semifinals, with junior Blaine Boyden and freshman Benjamin Sigouin winning 6-2 on Court 2, then senior Robert Kelly and sophomore William Blumberg clinching the point with another 6-2 win on Court 1.
"We got off to a great start in doubles," Paul said. "I thought we played well up and down the line."
In singles, freshman Mac Kiger earned the first point, beating FSU's Chase Wood in straight sets – 6-3, 6-2 – on Court 6. Senior Robert Kelly was next off, with a 7-5, 6-2 win over the Seminoles' Jose Gracia on Court 4.
With the Tar Heels up 3-0, it was a race for the fourth point. On Court 3, UNC sophomore Simon Soendergaard was serving for the match, but No. 43 Lucas Poullain broke serve to stay alive and eventually force the match into a second-set tiebreaker after Soendergaard won the first 6-4.
On an adjacent court, Blumberg fell in his first set but bounced back to win the second then race through the third. With Soendergaard up 6-4 in his tiebreaker and about to seal the win, Blumberg finished off No. 43 Aziz Dougas 6-2 in the third set to clinch the team victory.
"I was glad to pull away there," Blumberg said. "I didn't mean to steal that from Simon – he played great today. I just got lucky."
The Tar Heels are in the title match for the first tine since 2014, when they fell to Virginia. Their most recent ACC championship was in 2002.
Wake Forest won the regular-season matchup 4-3 in Chapel Hill on March 28.
"We know their personnel, we know they've got a great team," Paul said.
The Tar Heel women are also playing for an ACC crown. They'll take on Duke at 10 a.m. at Cary Tennis Center prior to the men's match at 2.
"We had a great Tar Heel Nation here today and we hope they come back tomorrow, for the men and women," Paul said.
"It's a great match to come to – If you're in the area, I would come," Blumberg said. "It's going to be a battle, but this is what we train for. This is what I love."
No. 6 North Carolina 4, No. 11 Florida State 0
Doubles
Order of match finish: (2,1)
1. #1 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) d. #62 Iradukunda/Knaff (FSU), 6-2
2. Boyden/Sigouin (UNC) d. Dougaz/Poullain (FSU), 6-2
3. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC) vs. Gracia/Whitehurst (FSU), 4-3 UF
Singles
Order of match finish: (6,4,1)
1. #3 William Blumberg (UNC) d. #34 Aziz Dougaz (FSU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. #30 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) vs. #41 Guy Iradukunda (FSU), 6-2, 5-7, 2-3 UF
3. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) d. #43 Lucas Poullain (FSU), 6-4, 6-6 (6-4) UF
4. #87 Robert Kelly (UNC) d. Jose Gracia (FSU), 7-5, 6-2
5. Blaine Boyden (UNC) vs. Alex Knaff (FSU), 4-6, 6-2, 2-4 UF
6. Mac Kiger (UNC) vs. Chase Wood (FSU), 6-2, 6-1
Records: UNC 22-4, FSU 27-4
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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