Men's Tennis Downs Hokies, 4-3

Sunday, January 31

Chapel Hill

1 PM

North Carolina

Virginia Tech

Simon Soendergaard

January 31, 2021 | Men's Tennis

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL— Senior Simon Soendergaard won the clinching singles match as second-ranked North Carolina defeated Virginia Tech, 4-3, on Sunday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

Carolina grabbed a 4-0 lead to clinch the team victory before Virginia Tech won the final three singles matches.

The Tar Heels, ranked No. 2 in the nation in this week's Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, improved to 3-0 to start the season. UNC went 2-0 last weekend in the ITA Kickoff, beating Northwestern and #20 South Carolina.

The Hokies fell to 0-1 in their first dual match of the season.

Carolina won the doubles point as fifth-ranked Soendergaard and Mac Kiger (No. 3) and Benjamin Sigouin and Josh Peck (No. 2) both won their matches, 6-2.

Soendergaard and Kiger cruised to a 6-1 win at No. 3 doubles over Carlo Donato and Ryan Kros. Peck and Sigouin clinched the doubles point with a 7-6 (5) win over Carlo Donato and Ryan Kros at No. 2. UNC's William Blumberg and Brian Cernoch fell behind in their match, 4-0, then forced a tiebreaker only to lose, 7-6 (2) to Jordan Chrysostom and Alex Ribeiro.

In singles, Blumberg (6-2, 6-1 at No. 1), Cernoch (6-2, 6-3 at No. 3) and Soendergaard (6-1, 6-4 at No. 5) all won their matches in straight sets. Soendergaard providing the winning margin for the team, clinching the deciding match by breaking serve to win the final game.

Virginia Tech won its three singles matches after the team result had already been decided. Matthis Ross beat Sigouin at No. 2 singles, as did Alvaro Ariza over Logan Zapp at No. 6. Hugo Maia earned a victory over UNC's Peck at No. 4 when Peck retired in the second set.

The Tar Heels will return to action in the ITA Indoor National Championships quarterfinals in Champaign, Ill., on February 12.

UNC 3 VT 0 Blumberg 6-2, 6-1; Cernoch 6-2, 6-3 pic.twitter.com/xV1BqrvaGb
— UNC Men's Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) January 31, 2021

UNC 4 VT 0 Soendergaard d. Fishback 6-1, 6-4 to clinch pic.twitter.com/VYSwy7x0iQ
— UNC Men's Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) January 31, 2021

Tennis Match Results
Virginia Tech vs North Carolina Jan 31, 2021 at Chapel Hill, N.C. (Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center)
#2 North Carolina 4, Virginia Tech 3

Singles competition
1. #2 William Blumberg (NC) def. Carlo Donato (VT) 6-2, 6-1
2. Matthis Ross (VT) def. #41 Benjamin Sigouin (NC) 2-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7)
3. Brian Cernoch (NC) def. Alex Ribeiro (VT) 6-2, 6-3
4. Hugo Maia (VT) def. #100 Josh Peck (NC) 7-6 (7-5), 2-2, retired
5. Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. Ryan Fishback (VT) 6-1, 6-4
6. Alvaro Ariza (VT) def. Logan Zapp (NC) 6-2, 6-7, 1-0 (11-9)

Doubles competition
1. Jordan Chrysostom/Alex Ribeiro (VT) def. #6 William Blumberg/Brian Cernoch (NC) 7-6 (7-2)
2. Josh Peck/Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. Carlo Donato/Ryan Kros (VT) 7-6 (7-5)
3. #5 Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. Ryan Fishback/Matthis Ross (VT) 6-1

Match Notes:
Virginia Tech 0-0
North Carolina 2-0; National ranking #2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,3,5,4,2,6)
T-2:43