Tar Heels Shut Out Gators To Reach Semifinal Of ITA Indoors

Saturday, February 15

Madison, Wisc.

4:30 PM

North Carolina

Florida

Rinky Hijikata

February 15, 2020 | Men's Tennis

MADISON, WISC.—Fourth-seeded North Carolina advanced to the semifinal round of the ITA National Indoor Championships on Saturday, sweeping fifth-seeded Florida, 4-0, at Nielsen Tennis Stadium.

Carolina advances to Sunday's semifinal round to face either top-seeded Ohio State or Atlantic Coast Conference rival Wake Forest at 4:30 p.m. Eastern.

The Tar Heels have reached the semifinals at ITA Indoors in four of the last five years.

Freshman Rinky Hijikata clinched the victory with a 6-4. 6-4 win at No. 3 singles over Duarte Vale. William Blumberg also played very well and won at No. 1 singles, 6-2, 6-3 over Oliver Crawford, while Brian Cernoch beat Johannes Ingildsen 6-1, 6-1 at No. 5 singles.

The Tar Heels grabbed the doubles point early, when Blumberg and Cernoch won 6-4 at No. 1 over Oliver Crawford and Sam Riffice and Hijikata and Benjamin Sigouin cruised to a 6-0 win at No. 3 singles.

William Blumberg discusses closing out his match vs #23 Oliver Crawford; Brian Cernoch speaks to being first off in singles for the second straight day: pic.twitter.com/zvqOc0z4Cp
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 16, 2020

Final UNC 4 Florida 0 Hijikata d. Vale 6-4, 6-4 to clinch berth in #ITAIndoors SF's 4:30 pm Sunday pic.twitter.com/xecLUeIzN3
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 15, 2020

UNC 3 Florida 0 Blumberg d. Crawford 6-2' 6-3; a scintillating performance #ITAIndoors pic.twitter.com/yIw0XB505c
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 15, 2020

UNC 2 Florida 0 Cernoch d. Ingildsen 6-1, 6-1 pic.twitter.com/BJaes0eljV
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) February 15, 2020

North Carolina vs Florida
ITA Indoor National Championships Quarterfinal
2/15/2020 at Madison, Wisc.
#4 North Carolina 4, #5 Florida 0

Doubles competition
1. William Blumberg/Brian Cernoch (NC) def. Oliver Crawford/Sam Riffice (UF), 6-4
2. #3 Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (NC), vs. Johannes Ingildsen/W Grant (UF), 5-5 (unfinished)
3. Rinky Hijikata/Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. Duarte Vale/J Goodger (UF), 6-0

Singles competition
1. William Blumberg (NC) def. Oliver Crawford (UF), 6-2, 6-3
2. #60 Benjamin Sigouin (NC) vs. Sam Riffice (UF), 3-6, 6-3, 1-1 (0-30) unfinished
3. Rinky Hijikata (NC) vs. Duarte Vale (UF) 6-4, 6-4
4. Josh Peck (NC)) vs. Andy Andrade (UF) 6-3, 4-5 (40-15) unfinished
5. Brian Cernoch (NC) def.Johannes Ingildsen (UF) 6-1, 6-1
6. Simon Soendergaard (NC) vs. Blaise Bicknell (UF) 6-3, 5-4 (0-15) unfinished