After Shutout Wins, UNC Looking Ahead To Big Weekend

Saturday, January 19

Chapel Hill

10:00 AM

North Carolina

Wofford

Junior Ladd Harrison made his dual match debut on Saturday.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

January 19, 2019 | Men's Tennis

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The North Carolina men's tennis team got contributions from the entire lineup Saturday in opening the spring season with a pair of shutout wins. On the indoor courts at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, the Tar Heels beat Wofford 6-0 in the morning and Bucknell 5-0 in the late afternoon to improve to 2-0 on the spring.

UNC now looks ahead to ITA Kickoff Weekend play coming up on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 25 and 26). The Tar Heels will host Utah Friday at 1:30 p.m., following a matchup between Duke and Middle Tennessee at 10:30 a.m. The winners play Saturday at 6:30 p.m. for a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships Feb. 15-18 in Chicago.

"We've got three great teams coming in this weekend and we're looking forward to playing," UNC coach Sam Paul said.

Against Wofford, the Tar Heels got doubles wins at No. 2 (sophomore Benjamin Sigouin and freshman Brian Cernoch) and No. 3 (junior Simon Soendergaard and sophomore Mac Kiger) to earn the first point. In singles play, Cernoch raced to a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 2 in his first collegiate dual match. Kiger, Sigouin, senior Blaine Boyden and junior Josh Peck also picked up wins against the Terriers.

Cernoch Sigouin win 6-2 at #2 pic.twitter.com/W51Jg9J4b0
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) January 19, 2019

In the afternoon matchup between UNC and Bucknell, the teams agreed to skip doubles and go right into singles, where the big news came on Court 6. Junior Ladd Harrison made his first dual match appearance for the Tar Heels, winning 6-0, 6-0. "He's had a great week of practice, the best week he's had since he's been here, so it was great for him to play," Paul said.

Harrison with the match clinching ace, UNC 4, Bucknell 0 pic.twitter.com/FoHm4sVj56
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) January 19, 2019

Although Harrison had represented the Tar Heels in fall tournaments, he'd waited two whole spring seasons for a chance to get into the lineup.

"I came to Carolina on a dream," Harrison said. "I've put in a lot of long hours and a lot of hard work the last two years. I've started to play really good tennis the last few months and I'm going to try to keep it going."

After picking up two early wins, that's what the whole team is looking to do, with bigger challenges looming.

"We're looking forward to this weekend," Harrison said. "No time to waste – we're ready to get back out there this week."

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

Singles
Order of match finish: (2,6,1,3,4)
1. Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. Julian Chousa (WOF), 6-1, 6-2
2. Brian Cernoch (UNC) d. Lucas Cerbelli (WOF), 6-0, 6-2
3. Josh Peck (UNC) d. Omar Williams (WOF), 6-3, 6-2
4. Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Edu Villar (WOF), 6-2, 6-3
5. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) vs. Bryce Keim (WOF), 6-3, 5-4 UF
6. Mac Kiger (UNC) d. Kyle Barr (WOF), 6-2, 6-2

Records: UNC 1-0, Wofford 0-1

No. 6 North Carolina 5, Bucknell 0
Doubles not contested (coaches' decision)
Singles
Order of match finish: (2,3,5,6,1)
1. William Blumberg (UNC) d. Ethan Jacobs (BU), 6-2, 6-3
2. Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. Marwan Abaza (BU), 6-1, 6-1
3. Brian Cernoch (UNC) d. Max Garramone (BU), 6-3, 6-0
4. Josh Peck (UNC) vs. Max McDonald (BU), 6-2, 3-2 UF
5. Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Ryan Jurist (BU), 6-0, 6-0
6. Ladd Harrison (UNC) d. Arien Crastes (BU), 6-0, 6-0

Records: UNC 2-0, Bucknell 0-2