North Carolina
NC State
Carolina Handles NC State 4-3 In ACC Opener
March 6, 2015 | Men's Tennis
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Fueled by three consecutive straight-set singles victories, the 19th-ranked North Carolina men's tennis team opened up ACC play on Friday with a 4-3 defeat of NC State at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. The Tar Heels improve to 12-5 with the win, while the Wolfpack fall to 10-4 this spring.
Carolina opened up an early 1-0 lead after sweeping all three doubles matches.
Jack Murray and Ronnie Schneider – UNC's sophomore duo– recorded the Tar Heels' first doubles win with an 8-4 triumph over Austin Powell and Simon Norenius on court two.
On court one, Carolina's veteran pair of Esben Hess-Olesen and Oystein Steiro, ranked No. 34 nationally, secured the doubles point by knocking off the Wolfpack's 12th-ranked team of Ian Dempster and Robbie Mudge by an 8-5 score. The crowd of almost 300 people erupted when Steiro placed a perfect match-point volley between Dempster and Mudge to end the match.
Junior Brett Clark and freshman Robert Kelly proceeded to dismiss NC State's Nick Horton and Thomas Weigel 8-6 on court three to wrap up doubles play.
In singles competition, the Tar Heels put away NC State early by running off three straight-set wins despite being without the services of 10th-ranked sophomore Brayden Schnur, who missed the match due to injury.
Clark got on the board first and became the first Tar Heel to reach 10 dual-match wins this spring, notching a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of No. 62 Austin Powell on court two. Then, in rapid succession, Carolina's 86th-ranked Kelly earned a 6-4, 6-4 against Weigel on court five, and 27th-ranked Ronnie Schneider provided the dagger on court one with a dominant 6-3, 6-1 triumph over Mudge.
The Wolpack picked up three team points in the remaining matches. Steiro retired on court four trailing 7-6(5), 4-4, junior Stuart DePaolo fell on court six 7-6(2), 6-1 and Murray dropped his contest on court three 6-4, 7-6(3).
“NC State has a great program,” said UNC head coach Sam Paul. “We knew going in that they had some seniors who could battle us really hard the whole time, so we knew it was going to be a really tough match.
“I'm really proud of my seniors, Oystein [Steiro] and Esben [Hess-Olesen] at number one doubles. They beat a great doubles team today and that set the tone.”
The Tar Heels will conclude this weekend's homestand on Sunday at 1 p.m. with a matchup against 29th-ranked Florida State. Admission is free.
#19 North Carolina 4, #31 NC State 3
Singles Competition
1. #27 Ronnie Schneider (UNC) def. Robbie Mudge (ST) 6-3, 6-1
2. #81 Brett Clark (UNC) def. #62 Austin Powell (ST) 6-3, 6-2
3. Simon Norenius (ST) def. #89 Jack Murray (UNC) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)
4. Beck Bond (ST) def. Oystein Steiro (UNC) 7-6 (7-5), 4-4, retired
5. #86 Robert Kelly (UNC) def. Thomas Weigel (ST) 6-4, 6-4
6. Nick Horton (ST) def. Stuart DePaolo (UNC) 7-6 (7-2), 6-1
Doubles Competition
1. #34 Esben Hess-Olesen/Oystein Steiro (UNC) def. #12 Ian Dempster/Robbie Mudge (ST) 8-5
2. Jack Murray/Ronnie Schneider (UNC) def. Austin Powell/Simon Norenius (ST) 8-4
3. Brett Clark/Robert Kelly (UNC) def. Nick Horton/Thomas Weigel (ST) 8-6
Match Notes:
NC State 10-4; National ranking #31
North Carolina 12-5; National ranking #19
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,5,1,4,6,3)
T-2:57 A-293
Players Mentioned
