Sunday, February 14
Champaign, Ill.
7:30 PM ET
North Carolina
4
vs
1
Baylor (Final)
National Champs!
February 14, 2021 | Men's Tennis
CHAMPAIGN, ILL.—Brian Cernoch won the clinching singles match for the second day in a row as the University of North Carolina beat Baylor, 4-1, in the title match of the ITA Indoor National Championships on Sunday night.
Cernoch, Benjamin Sigouin and William Blumberg all won their singles matches as the Tar Heels (6-0) captured their second ITA Indoor National Championship, joining the 2016 squad.
Blumberg beat No. 46 Adrian Boitan 6-3, 7-6 at No. 1 singles and Sigouin defeated No. 43 Sven Lah at No. 3 6-3, 7-5 to begin singles play prior to Cernoch's 7-6, 7-5 clinching victory over No. 74 Nick Stachowiak.
"We're just very grateful for the opportunity to compete with these guys, I think we all missed this," head coach Sam Paul said after the match. "I'm so proud of my guys and happy for this group of seniors especially.
"These guys have been in so many big moments for us and done such incredible things," Paul continued. "I'm so happy for them that they now have a national championship. I think that's one reason Will [Blumberg] came back. He had many opportunities not to come back, and the same thing for all of these guys. For Will, Simon [Soendergaard], Josh [Peck] and everyone to commit to come back and be part of the experience again is amazing. It's a different thing to coach fifth-year seniors, we've never done that before. I am so happy for them for everything they've given to this program."
Carolina took the doubles point to start the evening. Sigouin and Rinky Hijikata won for the first time on the weekend at No. 3 singles, starting the night with a 6-2 win over Nick Stachowiak and Spencer Furman. Fifth-ranked Mac Kiger and Simon Soendergaard clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 win over Matias Soto and Charlie Broom. Kiger and Soendergaard also clinched the doubles point for the Tar Heels in Friday's win over Tennessee in the quarterfinal round.
Sunday's match marked the third meeting between UNC and Baylor, all in the ITA Indoor National Championships. In 2008 in Seattle, Carolina beat No. 3 Baylor 4-3. In 2019 in the round of 16 in Chicago, the Tar Heels swept the Bears, 4-0.
The Carolina women's team also won the ITA Indoor National Championship last weekend. UNC is just the second school and the first since 2000 (Stanford) to win both men's and women's ITA National Team Indoor titles in the same year.
Cernoch, Benjamin Sigouin and William Blumberg all won their singles matches as the Tar Heels (6-0) captured their second ITA Indoor National Championship, joining the 2016 squad.
Blumberg beat No. 46 Adrian Boitan 6-3, 7-6 at No. 1 singles and Sigouin defeated No. 43 Sven Lah at No. 3 6-3, 7-5 to begin singles play prior to Cernoch's 7-6, 7-5 clinching victory over No. 74 Nick Stachowiak.
"We're just very grateful for the opportunity to compete with these guys, I think we all missed this," head coach Sam Paul said after the match. "I'm so proud of my guys and happy for this group of seniors especially.
"These guys have been in so many big moments for us and done such incredible things," Paul continued. "I'm so happy for them that they now have a national championship. I think that's one reason Will [Blumberg] came back. He had many opportunities not to come back, and the same thing for all of these guys. For Will, Simon [Soendergaard], Josh [Peck] and everyone to commit to come back and be part of the experience again is amazing. It's a different thing to coach fifth-year seniors, we've never done that before. I am so happy for them for everything they've given to this program."
Carolina took the doubles point to start the evening. Sigouin and Rinky Hijikata won for the first time on the weekend at No. 3 singles, starting the night with a 6-2 win over Nick Stachowiak and Spencer Furman. Fifth-ranked Mac Kiger and Simon Soendergaard clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 win over Matias Soto and Charlie Broom. Kiger and Soendergaard also clinched the doubles point for the Tar Heels in Friday's win over Tennessee in the quarterfinal round.
Sunday's match marked the third meeting between UNC and Baylor, all in the ITA Indoor National Championships. In 2008 in Seattle, Carolina beat No. 3 Baylor 4-3. In 2019 in the round of 16 in Chicago, the Tar Heels swept the Bears, 4-0.
The Carolina women's team also won the ITA Indoor National Championship last weekend. UNC is just the second school and the first since 2000 (Stanford) to win both men's and women's ITA National Team Indoor titles in the same year.
Tennis Match Results
Baylor vs North Carolina
Feb 14, 2021 at Champaign, Ill.
#2 North Carolina 4, #4 Baylor 1
Singles competition
1. #2 William Blumberg (NC) def. #46 Adrian Boitan (BAY) 6-3, 7-6
2. #55 Rinky Hijikata (NC) vs. #56 Matias Soto (BAY) 4-6, 7-5, 0-4, unfinished
3. #41 Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. #43 Sven Lah (BAY) 6-3, 7-5
4. Brian Cernoch (NC) def. #74 Nick Stachowiak (BAY) 7-6, 7-5
5. #103 Charlie Broom (BAY) def. #100 Josh Peck (NC) 6-0, 6-3
6. Simon Soendergaard (NC) vs. Spencer Furman (BAY) 6-2, 3-6, 3-3, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #6 William Blumberg/Brian Cernoch (NC) vs. #10 Sven Lah/Constantin Frantzen (BAY) 5-5, unfinished
2. #5 Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. Matias Soto/Charlie Broom (BAY) 6-4
3. Rinky Hijikata/Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. Nick Stachowiak/Spencer Furman (BAY) 6-2
Match Notes:
Baylor 11-1; National ranking #4
North Carolina 5-0; National ranking #2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,3,1,4)
Baylor vs North Carolina
Feb 14, 2021 at Champaign, Ill.
#2 North Carolina 4, #4 Baylor 1
Singles competition
1. #2 William Blumberg (NC) def. #46 Adrian Boitan (BAY) 6-3, 7-6
2. #55 Rinky Hijikata (NC) vs. #56 Matias Soto (BAY) 4-6, 7-5, 0-4, unfinished
3. #41 Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. #43 Sven Lah (BAY) 6-3, 7-5
4. Brian Cernoch (NC) def. #74 Nick Stachowiak (BAY) 7-6, 7-5
5. #103 Charlie Broom (BAY) def. #100 Josh Peck (NC) 6-0, 6-3
6. Simon Soendergaard (NC) vs. Spencer Furman (BAY) 6-2, 3-6, 3-3, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. #6 William Blumberg/Brian Cernoch (NC) vs. #10 Sven Lah/Constantin Frantzen (BAY) 5-5, unfinished
2. #5 Mac Kiger/Simon Soendergaard (NC) def. Matias Soto/Charlie Broom (BAY) 6-4
3. Rinky Hijikata/Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. Nick Stachowiak/Spencer Furman (BAY) 6-2
Match Notes:
Baylor 11-1; National ranking #4
North Carolina 5-0; National ranking #2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,3,1,4)
CAROLINA CHAMPIONSHIP!
— UNC Men's Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) February 15, 2021
Brian Cernoch wins the clinching match for the second day in a row as the Tar Heels beat Baylor, 4-1, to win their second #ITAIndoors
title (2016).#GoHeels 💪 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Z1YR06QR83
🏆 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS 🏆@carolinatennis secures the victory, 4-1 over Baylor#ITAIndoors pic.twitter.com/fjLNFtH9Uf
— ITA (@ITA_Tennis) February 15, 2021
The @ITA_Tennis National Indoor Match Clinching Point from Brian Cernoch's 7-6, 7-5 win over Baylor's Nick Stachowiak pic.twitter.com/0RQbjG5hAN
— UNC Men's Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) February 15, 2021
The Doubles clincher pic.twitter.com/vew9Gf9qdJ
— UNC Men's Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) February 15, 2021
UNC 2 Baylor 1 Sigouin d. Lah 6-4, 7-5 pic.twitter.com/CPWa43J4J0
— UNC Men's Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) February 15, 2021
UNC 3 Baylor 1 Blumberg d. Boitan 6-3, 7-6(3) pic.twitter.com/lM04IQs5yI
— UNC Men's Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) February 15, 2021
North Carolina becomes only the second school all time and the first since 2000 (Stanford) to win both Men's/Women's @ITA_Tennis National Team Indoor titles in the same year. 🏆 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ZhxsalsxKM
— UNC Men's Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) February 15, 2021
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2
#1 Singles Match
12
Adrian Boitan / 0 (46/-) [BAY]
36
67
#2 Singles Match
1234
Matias Soto / 0 (56/-) [BAY]
6540
470UF
#3 Singles Match
12
Sven Lah / 0 (43/-) [BAY]
35
67
#4 Singles Match
12
Nick Stachowiak / 0 (74/-) [BAY]
65
77
#5 Singles Match
12
Charlie Broom / 0 (103/-) [BAY]
66
03
#6 Singles Match
1234
Spencer Furman / 0 [BAY]
2630
633UF
Order of Finish:
5,3,1,4
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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