Tar Heels Open ACC Play With Win Over Hokies

Friday, March 2

Chapel Hill

12:30 PM

North Carolina

Virginia Tech

Josh Peck
University of North Carolina Men's Tennis v Campbell
Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center
Chapel Hill, NC
Monday, January 22, 2018

Josh Peck earned a straight-sets win at No. 6.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

March 2, 2018 | Men's Tennis

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – North Carolina opened the Atlantic Coast Conference portion of its spring schedule Friday with a 6-1 victory over visiting Virginia Tech. The sixth-ranked Tar Heels improved to 10-2 with the win in a match played indoors at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center due to windy conditions outside.

"All our ACC matches are tough," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "Virginia Tech's got a very good program, so this is a good win for us."

The Tar Heels opened with the doubles point, winning on Courts 1 and 3 to go up 1-0.

The first singles win came at No. 6, where sophomore Josh Peck earned a speedy decision over Freddy Mesmer, 6-3, 6-1. At the No. 1 spot, top-ranked William Blumberg beat No. 29 Mitch Harper 6-4, 6-2 to put the Tar Heels up 3-0.

Junior Blaine Boyden, playing at No. 5, beat Henrik Korsgaard 6-2, 6-2 to clinch the team result. Moments later, senior Robert Kelly sealed a 6-1, 6-4 win over Carlo Donato at No. 4.

Still in action at that point were Courts 2 and 3. On No. 2, freshman Benjamin Sigouin won a long first set 7-5 over Jason Kros then took the second 6-1.

On No. 3, sophomore Simon Soendergaard won his first set 6-4 over Alexandre Ribeiro but then dropped the second by the same score. With all of the other matches already completed, the two went to a 10-point tiebreaker, which Ribeiro won 10-2.

The Tar Heels return to action on Sunday, hosting No. 20 Texas for a 1 p.m. match at Cone-Kenfield.

No. 6 North Carolina 6, Virginia Tech 1
Doubles
Order of match finish: (3,1)
1. #6 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) d. Korsgaard/Ribeiro (VT), 6-2
2. Kodali/Sigouin (UNC) vs. Harper/Donato (VT), 3-5, UF
3. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC) d. Kros/Mesmer (VT), 6-2

Singles
Order of match finish: (6,1,5,4,2,3)
1. #1 William Blumberg (UNC) d. #29 Mitch Harper, 6-4, 6-2
2. #44 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. #117 Jason Kros, 7-5, 6-1
3. Alexandre Ribeiro (VT) d. Simon Soendergaard (UNC), 4-6, 6-4, 1-0(10-2)
4. #105 Robert Kelly d. Carlo Donato (VT), 6-1, 6-4
5. Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Henrik Korsgaard (VT), 6-2, 6-2
6. Josh Peck (UNC) d. Freddy Mesmer (VT), 6-3, 6-1

Records: UNC 10-2, Virginia Tech 9-2