North Carolina
Duke
Carolina Drops First Match Of Season To Blue Devils
January 27, 2014 | Men's Tennis
DURHAM, N.C. - The North Carolina men's tennis team dropped its first match of the season Sunday afternoon, losing to #17 Duke 4-2 in the finals of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kickoff Weekend at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center.
The Tar Heels were looking for their first trip to the ITA National Team Indoors but fell short against the veteran Blue Devils. Coach Sam Paul's Tar Heels, who start three freshmen,a sophomore, a junior and a senior, fell for the first time this season. UNC is 5-1 heading into a home match next Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. Duke has now won three matches in a row and is 3-2 overall.
Carolina seized the early momentum with a victory in the doubles point. The Tar Heels got wins from Oystein Steiro and Nelson Vick at #2 doubles and the freshman tandem of Ronnie Schneider and Jack Murray at #3 doubles.
But the Tar Heels were not able to maintain the momentum through singles against a lineup that features four nationally-ranked players.
UNC dropped straight set singles matches at #2, #3, #4, and #6 singles. Senior Nelson Vick earned the sole singles point fro Carolina as he defeated #77 Josh Levine at #5 singles 6-1, 6-3. At the #1 spot, UNC freshman Brayden Schnur and Duke's Michael Redlicki were in a third set when the match was suspended after the Blue Devils clinched the team point.
The #42-ranked Tar Heels will now face a string of three more ranked opponents in a row. Carolina hosts #22 Illinois next Saturday in Chapel Hill, visits #47 Louisville the following Wednesday and then hosts #38 TCU on Sunday, February 9.
#17 Duke 4, #42 North Carolina 2
Doubles (Team Winning Majority Of Matches Earns One Team Point)
Order of match finish: (3,2)
Notes: Tiebreakers played at 5-5
1. Michael Redlicki and Jason Tahir (DU) vs. Brett Clark and Brayden Schnur (UNC), 5-5 (1-0), unfinished
2. #50 Oystein Steiro and Nelson Vick (UNC), d. Bruno Semesnzato and Raphael Hemmeler (DU), 6-3
3. Jack Murray and Ronnie Schneider (UNC) d. Cale Hammond and Fred Saba (DU), 6-3
Singles (One Team Point Per Singles Match)
Order of match finish: (6,5,3,4,2)
1. #29 Michael Redlicki (DU) vs. Brayden Schnur (UNC), 6-5 (7-2), 4-6, 1-0, unfinished
2. Fred Saba (DU) d. #17 Ronnie Schneider (UNC), 6-4, 6-4
3. #52 Jason Tahir d. #36 Brett Clark (UNC), 6-3, 6-2
4. #95 Bruno Semenzato (DU) d. Oystein Steiro (UNC), 6-3, 6-3
5. Nelson Vick (UNC) d. #77 Josh Levine (DU), 6-1, 6-3
6. Raphael Hemmeler (DU) d. Jack Murray (UNC), 6-0, 6-4
Team Records: North Carolina (5-1), Duke (3-2)
Players Mentioned
