Wolfpack Edges Men's Tennis, 4-3

Thursday, February 17

Chapel Hill

4 PM

North Carolina

NC State

Benjamin Sigouin

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

February 17, 2022 | Men's Tennis

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL—North Carolina State came from behind and defeated No. 23 North Carolina, 4-3, in a non-Atlantic Coast Conference men's tennis match on Thursday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

The Tar Heels took an early, 2-0 lead when they won the doubles point and Benjamin Sigouin cruised to a straight-set victory at No. 2 singles. The Wolfpack then won three consecutive singles matches to take a 3-2 before Anuj Watane won at No. 6 to tie the score at 3-3.

State's Damien Salvestre won in three sets at No. 5 singles over Henry Lieberman, 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 to win the clincher.

The Tar Heels started the afternoon strong by taking the doubles point. Brian Cernoch and Mac Kiger picked up the first win over the day at No. 1 doubles, beating No. 35 Barakai and Collin Shick, 6-2. It was the third win over a ranked opponent in the last month for Cernoch and Kiger, who also beat top-10 teams from Ohio State and South Carolina recently.

Casey Kania and Zapp won, 6-4, at No. 2 doubles to seal the point.

Sigouin won the first singles match of the day, cruising to a 6-0, 6-2 win over No. 125 Martins Rocens, making the score 2-0 Tar Heels. The Pack evened the score with wins at No. 1 over Cernoch and at No. 3 over Kiger, then took the lead with a win at No. 4 over Zapp to go up, 3-2. Watane came up big at No. 6 singles, winning 6-3, 6-4 over Braden Shick to tie the score at 3-3.

The Tar Heels will return to action on Sunday at Illinois in a match rescheduled from earlier this season due to weather.

NC State vs North Carolina 02/17/2022 at Chapel Hill, N.C. (Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center)
NC State 4, #23 North Carolina 3

Singles competition
1. Rafa Izquierdo Luque (ST) def. #87 Brian Cernoch (NC) 6-4, 6-4
2. Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. #125 Martins Rocens (ST) 6-0, 6-2
3. #31 Robin Catry (ST) def. Mac Kiger (NC) 6-4, 6-2
4. Luca Staeheli (ST) def. Logan Zapp (NC) 7-5, 6-4
5. Damien Salvestre (ST) def. Henry Lieberman (NC) 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Anuj Watane (NC) def. Braden Shick (ST) 6-3, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. Brian Cernoch/Mac Kiger (NC) def. #35 Yannai Barkai/Collin Shick (ST) 6-2
2. Logan Zapp/Casey Kania (NC) def. Robin Catry/Damien Salvestre (ST) 6-4
3. Benjamin Sigouin/Henry Lieberman (NC) vs. Braden Shick/Luca Staeheli (ST) 4-5, unfinished

Match Notes:
NC State 7-2
North Carolina 5-2; National ranking #23
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (2,3,1,4,6,5) T-2:38 A-200