Thursday, February 28
Chapel Hill
3:00 PM
North Carolina
4
vs
1
Duke
Senior Blaine Boyden
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Carolina opens ACC play with a win over Duke
February 28, 2019 | Men's Tennis
CHAPEL HILL – The sixth-ranked North Carolina men's tennis team finished on top Thursday afternoon against Duke in the first outdoor match of the season at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center, beating the visiting Blue Devils 4-1.
"Duke is always a big, emotional match for us," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "They were a little banged up, just like we are a little banged up. It's a good win for us."
Carolina got off to a quick start in the match, taking the first two doubles matches to clinch the doubles point. On Court 2, Mac Kiger and Simon Soendergaard needed an extra game, but ultimately won 7-5, before William Blumberg and Blaine Boyden took care of business to close out their match on Court 1, 6-4.
The momentum carried over into singles, where Carolina won three of the four completed matches. On Court 6, Soendergaard made quick work of Jason Lapidus and won in dominant fashion 6-1, 6-2.
Boyden also had a strong outing, defeating Vincent Lin 6-4, 6-2 on Court 4 to give Carolina a commanding 3-0 lead.
Duke won its only match of the day on Court 3, where Spencer Furman defeated UNC's Josh Peck, 6-3, 6-3.
After the lone defeat, the Tar Heels closed out the match with a win on Court 2 from Brian Cernoch, as he won a close match over Catalin Mateas 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, and lifted the Tar Heels to a 4-1 win.
Blumberg on Court 1 and Kiger on Court 5 were both still playing when the Tar Heels reached their fourth point, and the teams opted not to play out.
With the win, the Tar Heels move to 8-2 on the year, and 1-0 in ACC play. Duke drops to 5-6 for the season, and 0-1 in conference.
Carolina will be back in action Saturday, traveling to Blacksburg, Va. to take on Virginia Tech at 1 p.m.
No. 6 North Carolina 4 , Duke 1
Doubles
Order of match finish: 2, 1
1. Blumberg/Boyden (UNC) d. Stachowak/Lapidus (DU), 6-4
2. Kiger/ Soendergaard (UNC) d. Mateas/Lin (DU) 7-5
3. Peck/Cernoch (UNC) vs. Furman/Levine (DU), 4-5 uf
Singles
Order of match finish: 6, 4, 3, 2
1. William Blumberg (UNC) vs. Nick Stachowak (DU), 6-4, 5-5 uf
2. Brian Cernoch (UNC) d. Catalin Mateas (DU), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
3. Spencer Furman (DU) d. Josh Peck (UNC) 6-3, 6-3
4. Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Vincent Lin (DU), 6-4, 6-2
5. Mac Kiger (UNC) vs. Robert Levine (DU), 6-2, 2-6, 1-5 uf
6. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) d. Jason Lapidus (DU), 6-1, 6-2
Records: UNC 8-2 (1-0), Duke 5-6 (0-1)
"Duke is always a big, emotional match for us," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "They were a little banged up, just like we are a little banged up. It's a good win for us."
Carolina got off to a quick start in the match, taking the first two doubles matches to clinch the doubles point. On Court 2, Mac Kiger and Simon Soendergaard needed an extra game, but ultimately won 7-5, before William Blumberg and Blaine Boyden took care of business to close out their match on Court 1, 6-4.
The momentum carried over into singles, where Carolina won three of the four completed matches. On Court 6, Soendergaard made quick work of Jason Lapidus and won in dominant fashion 6-1, 6-2.
Boyden also had a strong outing, defeating Vincent Lin 6-4, 6-2 on Court 4 to give Carolina a commanding 3-0 lead.
Duke won its only match of the day on Court 3, where Spencer Furman defeated UNC's Josh Peck, 6-3, 6-3.
After the lone defeat, the Tar Heels closed out the match with a win on Court 2 from Brian Cernoch, as he won a close match over Catalin Mateas 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, and lifted the Tar Heels to a 4-1 win.
Blumberg on Court 1 and Kiger on Court 5 were both still playing when the Tar Heels reached their fourth point, and the teams opted not to play out.
With the win, the Tar Heels move to 8-2 on the year, and 1-0 in ACC play. Duke drops to 5-6 for the season, and 0-1 in conference.
Carolina will be back in action Saturday, traveling to Blacksburg, Va. to take on Virginia Tech at 1 p.m.
No. 6 North Carolina 4 , Duke 1
Doubles
Order of match finish: 2, 1
1. Blumberg/Boyden (UNC) d. Stachowak/Lapidus (DU), 6-4
2. Kiger/ Soendergaard (UNC) d. Mateas/Lin (DU) 7-5
3. Peck/Cernoch (UNC) vs. Furman/Levine (DU), 4-5 uf
Singles
Order of match finish: 6, 4, 3, 2
1. William Blumberg (UNC) vs. Nick Stachowak (DU), 6-4, 5-5 uf
2. Brian Cernoch (UNC) d. Catalin Mateas (DU), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
3. Spencer Furman (DU) d. Josh Peck (UNC) 6-3, 6-3
4. Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Vincent Lin (DU), 6-4, 6-2
5. Mac Kiger (UNC) vs. Robert Levine (DU), 6-2, 2-6, 1-5 uf
6. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) d. Jason Lapidus (DU), 6-1, 6-2
Records: UNC 8-2 (1-0), Duke 5-6 (0-1)
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
UNC Volleyball: Tar Heels Open ACC Play with Sweep of Wake Forest
Saturday, September 27
Carolina Insider - Interview with Derek Dixon (Full Segment) - September 26, 2025
Friday, September 26
Carolina Insider - Interview with Jim Tanner (Full Segment) - September 26, 2025
Friday, September 26
Tar Heels in the Community pres. by NC Electric Co-ops - Montross Day of Service - Sept. 23, 2025
Friday, September 26