Tar Heels Top No. 33 Gophers 4-1

Saturday, February 28

Chapel Hill, N.C.

10:00 AM

North Carolina

Minnesota

February 28, 2015 | Men's Tennis

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 19 North Carolina men's tennis team earned its 10th win of the spring season on Saturday, defeating No. 33 Minnesota 4-1 in the first half of a doubleheader at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. With the victory, the Tar Heels improve to 10-5, while the Gophers drop to 7-4.

For the 11th time this season, Carolina was able to get off to a quick start by winning the doubles point. Junior Brett Clark and sophomore Brayden Schnur combined for a decisive 6-1 victory on court one over Minnesota's 41st-ranked pair of Mathieu Froment and Jack Hamburg. On court three, freshman Robert Kelly and senior Oystein Steiro secured the point for UNC with a 6-3 defeat of Eric Frueh and Matic Spec.

The Tar Heels were able to overcome early adversity in singles play when Schnur, ranked No. 10 nationally, retired due to injury on court one. He trailed No. 30 Leandro Toledo 6-2, 1-1 at the time of retirement.

Kelly, ranked 86th nationally, provided the response for UNC on court six by cruising past Frueh 6-2, 6-2 to edge the Tar Heels back out in front, 2-1. Carolina's 81st-ranked Clark tacked on a 6-4, 6-4 win over the Gophers' Matic Spec soon after, setting up sophomore Ronnie Schneider for the clincher on court two. Schneider, ranked No. 27, was able to break Minnesota's Ruben Weber to take the first set 7-5 before serving out a dominant 6-1 second set to secure the 4-1 victory for Carolina.

In matches that did not finish, Schneider and fellow sophomore Jack Murray led Minnesota's 48th-ranked pair of Felix Corwin and Leandro Toledo 5-4 on doubles court two when the point was clinched. During singles play, Murray led 6-4, 5-2 on court four, and Steiro was locked into a back-and-forth duel on court five that stood at 7-6(5), 3-5 when Schneider sealed the match.

Saturday's victory gives the Tar Heels five wins over ranked opponents this season.

The Tar Heels will finish up Saturday's doubleheader against The Citadel at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. First serve is set for 6:30 p.m. and admission is free. Live stats can be found at this link.

#19 North Carolina 4, #33 Minnesota 1

Singles competition

1. #30 Leandro Toledo (UM) d. #10 Brayden Schnur (UNC), 6-2, 1-1, retired

 2. #27 Ronnie Schneider (UNC) d. Ruben Weber (UM), 7-5, 6-1

3. #81 Brett Clark (UNC) d. Matic Spec (UM), 6-4, 6-4

4. #89 Jack Murray (UNC) vs. Felix Corwin (UM), 6-4, 5-2, unfinished

 5. Oystein Steiro (UNC) vs. Mathieu Froment (UM), 7-6(5), 3-5, unfinished

 6. Robert Kelly (UNC) d. Eric Frueh (UM), 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. Brett Clark/Brayden Schnur (UNC) d. #41 Mathieu Froment/Jack Hamburg (UM), 6-1

2. Jack Murray/Ronnie Schneider (UNC) vs. #48 Felix Corwin/Leandro Toledo (UM), 5-4, unfinished

 3. Robert Kelly/Oystein Steiro (UNC) d. Eric Frueh/Matic Spec (UM), 6-3