University of North Carolina Athletics
Brian Cernoch clinched the victory.
Top Moments Of 2019-20: Tar Heels Sweep No. 1 Ohio State To Reach ITA Indoor Final
June 26, 2020 | Men's Tennis
More Top Moments of 2019-20:
Soendergaard & Kiger Reach Fall ITA Doubles Semifinal
Tar Heels Sweep #7 Wolfpack On The Road
Tar Heels Shutout #11 TCU
Heels Blank Gators in ITA Indoor Quarterfinals
Tar Heels Sweep #1 Ohio State to Reach ITA Indoor Final
When Carolina Athletics canceled all spring competitions on March 17, 2020, in accordance with the Atlantic Coast Conference's decision due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, its men's tennis team was in the middle of possibly the best season in program history. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 2 in the ITA national rankings with a 12-1 record and sat atop the ACC standings. The team reached the finals of the ITA Indoor National Championships in Madison, Wisc., in February, beating the No. 1 team in the nation along the way.
Please continue to visit GoHeels.com as we look back on the impressive achievements of 27th-year head coach Sam Paul and his team in 2019-20.
Perhaps the single top moment of the 2019-20 season for Carolina Tennis came on February 16, 2020. On that day, the Tar Heels beat top-ranked, top-seeded and defending champion Ohio State, 4-0, in the semifinal of the ITA Indoor National Championshp. The triumph gave head coach Sam Paul his 500th career victory.
With the win, Carolina moved on to the indoor national title against second-seeded Southern California, which beat Michigan in another semifinal. UNC and USC were meeting for the second season in a row. In 2019, the Tar Heels beat USC, 4-1, on the road in the NCAA Tournament round of 16, handing the Trojans their first NCAA Tournament loss at Marks Tennis Stadium.
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USC beat the Tar Heels, 4-1, to win the 2020 ITA Indoor title. Carolina has reached at least the semifinals in four of the last five years.Â
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Paul, the winningest active coach in Atlantic Coast Conference and the winningest coach in school history, was typically deflective of individual praise, focusing instead on his team's achievement.
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"I didn't even know it was win No. 500," Paul said after the match. "It's all about my players."
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Carolina has won three of its last four meetings with Ohio State, including beating the top-ranked Buckeyes twice in seven months (also in the 2019 NCAA Tournament quarterfinals).
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The Tar Heels won the doubles point when William Blumberg and Brian Cernoch raced to a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles over John McNally and Robert Cash. Simon Soendergaard and Mac Kiger, the nation's third-ranked doubles duo, won 6-4 at No. 2 over Justin Boulais and James Trotter.
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Rinky Hijikata and Benjamin Sigouin had their match at No. 3 doubles go unfinished.
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Hijikata and Soendergaard both won their singles matches, with Hijikata beating Justin Boulais 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3 singles and Soendergaard picking up a 6-1, 6-2, straight sets win over Cash. Cernoch won the deciding match at No. 5 singles, beating Trotter 6-4, 7-5.
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The singles matches of Blumberg (No. 1), Sigouin (No. 2) and Josh Peck (No. 4) went unfinished.
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Tennis Match Results
North Carolina vs Ohio State
ITA Indoor National Championships
2/16/2020 at Madison, Wisc. Â
#4 North Carolina 4, #1 Ohio State 0Â
Doubles competitionÂ
1. William Blumberg/Brian Cernoch (NC) def. John McNally/Robert Cash (OSU) 6-2
2. #3 Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. Justin Boulais/James Trotter (OSU)), 6-4Â
3. Rinky Hijikata/Benjamin Sigouin (NC) vs. Cannon Kingsley/Kyle Seeling (OSU), 5-4 (unfinished)
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Singles competitionÂ
1. William Blumberg (NC) vs. John McNally (OSU) 6-2, 1-6, 1-2 (unfinished)
2. #60 Benjamin Sigouin (NC) vs. Cannon Kingsley (OSU) 6-4, 1-6, 0-2 (40-40) (unfinished)
3. Rinky Hijikata (NC) def. Justin Boulais (OSU) 6-2, 6-2
4. #80 Josh Peck (NC) vs. Kyle Seeling (OSU) 2-6, 4-5 (unfinished)
5. Brian Cernoch (NC) def. James Trotter (OSU) 6-4, 7-5
6. Simon Soendergaard def. Robert Cash (OSU) 6-1, 6-2
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Soendergaard & Kiger Reach Fall ITA Doubles Semifinal
Tar Heels Sweep #7 Wolfpack On The Road
Tar Heels Shutout #11 TCU
Heels Blank Gators in ITA Indoor Quarterfinals
Tar Heels Sweep #1 Ohio State to Reach ITA Indoor Final
When Carolina Athletics canceled all spring competitions on March 17, 2020, in accordance with the Atlantic Coast Conference's decision due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, its men's tennis team was in the middle of possibly the best season in program history. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 2 in the ITA national rankings with a 12-1 record and sat atop the ACC standings. The team reached the finals of the ITA Indoor National Championships in Madison, Wisc., in February, beating the No. 1 team in the nation along the way.
Please continue to visit GoHeels.com as we look back on the impressive achievements of 27th-year head coach Sam Paul and his team in 2019-20.
Perhaps the single top moment of the 2019-20 season for Carolina Tennis came on February 16, 2020. On that day, the Tar Heels beat top-ranked, top-seeded and defending champion Ohio State, 4-0, in the semifinal of the ITA Indoor National Championshp. The triumph gave head coach Sam Paul his 500th career victory.
With the win, Carolina moved on to the indoor national title against second-seeded Southern California, which beat Michigan in another semifinal. UNC and USC were meeting for the second season in a row. In 2019, the Tar Heels beat USC, 4-1, on the road in the NCAA Tournament round of 16, handing the Trojans their first NCAA Tournament loss at Marks Tennis Stadium.
Â
USC beat the Tar Heels, 4-1, to win the 2020 ITA Indoor title. Carolina has reached at least the semifinals in four of the last five years.Â
Â
Paul, the winningest active coach in Atlantic Coast Conference and the winningest coach in school history, was typically deflective of individual praise, focusing instead on his team's achievement.
Â
"I didn't even know it was win No. 500," Paul said after the match. "It's all about my players."
 Â
Carolina has won three of its last four meetings with Ohio State, including beating the top-ranked Buckeyes twice in seven months (also in the 2019 NCAA Tournament quarterfinals).
Â
The Tar Heels won the doubles point when William Blumberg and Brian Cernoch raced to a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles over John McNally and Robert Cash. Simon Soendergaard and Mac Kiger, the nation's third-ranked doubles duo, won 6-4 at No. 2 over Justin Boulais and James Trotter.
Â
Rinky Hijikata and Benjamin Sigouin had their match at No. 3 doubles go unfinished.
Â
Hijikata and Soendergaard both won their singles matches, with Hijikata beating Justin Boulais 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3 singles and Soendergaard picking up a 6-1, 6-2, straight sets win over Cash. Cernoch won the deciding match at No. 5 singles, beating Trotter 6-4, 7-5.
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The singles matches of Blumberg (No. 1), Sigouin (No. 2) and Josh Peck (No. 4) went unfinished.
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Tennis Match Results
North Carolina vs Ohio State
ITA Indoor National Championships
2/16/2020 at Madison, Wisc. Â
#4 North Carolina 4, #1 Ohio State 0Â
Doubles competitionÂ
1. William Blumberg/Brian Cernoch (NC) def. John McNally/Robert Cash (OSU) 6-2
2. #3 Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. Justin Boulais/James Trotter (OSU)), 6-4Â
3. Rinky Hijikata/Benjamin Sigouin (NC) vs. Cannon Kingsley/Kyle Seeling (OSU), 5-4 (unfinished)
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Singles competitionÂ
1. William Blumberg (NC) vs. John McNally (OSU) 6-2, 1-6, 1-2 (unfinished)
2. #60 Benjamin Sigouin (NC) vs. Cannon Kingsley (OSU) 6-4, 1-6, 0-2 (40-40) (unfinished)
3. Rinky Hijikata (NC) def. Justin Boulais (OSU) 6-2, 6-2
4. #80 Josh Peck (NC) vs. Kyle Seeling (OSU) 2-6, 4-5 (unfinished)
5. Brian Cernoch (NC) def. James Trotter (OSU) 6-4, 7-5
6. Simon Soendergaard def. Robert Cash (OSU) 6-1, 6-2
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Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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