Friday, April 20
Tallahassee, FL
5:30 PM
North Carolina
4
at
1
Florida State
Freshman Benjamin Sigouin clinched UNC's 4-1 win at Florida State on Friday evening.
Tar Heels Pull Off Win At No. 11 FSU
April 20, 2018 | Men's Tennis
North Carolina earned an impressive Atlantic Coast Conference men's tennis road win on Friday evening, beating No. 11 Florida State 4-1 on the Seminoles' home court.
With the win at Scott Speicher Tennis Center, UNC improves to 19-4 on the season and 10-1 in ACC play with one regular-season match remaining, at Miami on Sunday.
"Florida State has got a great team," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "We played well and we're happy to win."
FSU (25-3, 9-2) had won 14 in a row at home heading into Friday's match, and the Seminoles had beaten the Tar Heels during the most recent match-up in Tallahassee, in 2016. But UNC jumped out early on Friday, taking the doubles point with wins on Court 1 and Court 3, and went on to clinch with three straight-sets wins.
The first singles matchup to finish, however, was the one Seminole win of the day. On Court 5, Alex Knaff handed Tar Heel junior Blaine Boyden his first singles loss of the spring, 6-2, 6-2, to tie the match at 1-1.
UNC took the lead for good with a quick win on Court 1 by sophomore William Blumberg, who beat No. 46 Aziz Dougaz 6-1, 6-4 to put the Tar Heels up 2-1.
The next match to finish was on Court 6, where Carolina freshman Mac Kiger beat Chase Wood 6-3, 6-2.
The Tar Heels got the clinching point from another freshman, 38th-ranked Benjamin Sigouin, on Court 2. Already this spring he had clinched wins against No. 16 TCU and ACC rivals Duke and Virginia. In Tallahassee he added one more to the list, beating No. 31 Guy Iradukunda 6-2, 6-3 to give UNC the 4-1 team win. It was Sigouin's seventh win over a ranked player this spring and the third time he's beaten a player ranked higher than him.
The Tar Heels now head south to face No. 48 Miami, which improved to 13-10 overall and 4-7 in ACC play with a conference win Friday over No. 22 Duke. With inclement weather expected on Sunday, the match has been moved up three hours to a 9 a.m. start.
No. 7 UNC 4, No. 11 FSU 1
Doubles
Order of match finish: (3,1)
1. #1 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) d. Dougaz/Poullain (FSU), 6-2
2. Sigouin/Boyden (UNC) vs. Knaff/Iradukunda (FSU), 4-4 UF
3. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC) d. Gracia/Whitehurst (FSU), 6-1
Singles
Order of match finish: (5,1,6,2)
1. #2 William Blumberg d. #46 Aziz Dougaz (FSU), 6-1, 6-2
2. #38 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. #31 Guy Iradkunda (FSU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) vs. #41 Lucas Poullain (FSU), 0-6, 5-5 UF
4. #87 Robert Kelly (UNC) vs. Jose Gracia (FSU) 6-3, 4-4 UF
5. Alex Knaff (FSU) d. Blaine Boyden (UNC), 6-2, 6-2
6. Mac Kiger (UNC) d. Chase Wood (FSU), 6-3, 6-2
Records: UNC 19-4 (10-1 ACC), FSU 25-3 (9-2 ACC)
With the win at Scott Speicher Tennis Center, UNC improves to 19-4 on the season and 10-1 in ACC play with one regular-season match remaining, at Miami on Sunday.
"Florida State has got a great team," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "We played well and we're happy to win."
FSU (25-3, 9-2) had won 14 in a row at home heading into Friday's match, and the Seminoles had beaten the Tar Heels during the most recent match-up in Tallahassee, in 2016. But UNC jumped out early on Friday, taking the doubles point with wins on Court 1 and Court 3, and went on to clinch with three straight-sets wins.
UNC 1 FSU 0 what a point to clinch from Blumberg/Kelly! pic.twitter.com/vq76Q7vWxr
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) April 20, 2018
The first singles matchup to finish, however, was the one Seminole win of the day. On Court 5, Alex Knaff handed Tar Heel junior Blaine Boyden his first singles loss of the spring, 6-2, 6-2, to tie the match at 1-1.
UNC took the lead for good with a quick win on Court 1 by sophomore William Blumberg, who beat No. 46 Aziz Dougaz 6-1, 6-4 to put the Tar Heels up 2-1.
UNC 3 FSU 1 Blumberg Match pt over Dougaz pic.twitter.com/AZvhW60Awu
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) April 20, 2018
The next match to finish was on Court 6, where Carolina freshman Mac Kiger beat Chase Wood 6-3, 6-2.
The Tar Heels got the clinching point from another freshman, 38th-ranked Benjamin Sigouin, on Court 2. Already this spring he had clinched wins against No. 16 TCU and ACC rivals Duke and Virginia. In Tallahassee he added one more to the list, beating No. 31 Guy Iradukunda 6-2, 6-3 to give UNC the 4-1 team win. It was Sigouin's seventh win over a ranked player this spring and the third time he's beaten a player ranked higher than him.
Final: #7 UNC 4 #11 FSU 1 Ben Sigouin clinches match 6-2, 6-3 @ITA_Tennis pic.twitter.com/6wu17woSF3
— UNC Men's Tennis (@carolinatennis) April 20, 2018
The Tar Heels now head south to face No. 48 Miami, which improved to 13-10 overall and 4-7 in ACC play with a conference win Friday over No. 22 Duke. With inclement weather expected on Sunday, the match has been moved up three hours to a 9 a.m. start.
No. 7 UNC 4, No. 11 FSU 1
Doubles
Order of match finish: (3,1)
1. #1 Blumberg/Kelly (UNC) d. Dougaz/Poullain (FSU), 6-2
2. Sigouin/Boyden (UNC) vs. Knaff/Iradukunda (FSU), 4-4 UF
3. Soendergarrd/Kiger (UNC) d. Gracia/Whitehurst (FSU), 6-1
Singles
Order of match finish: (5,1,6,2)
1. #2 William Blumberg d. #46 Aziz Dougaz (FSU), 6-1, 6-2
2. #38 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) d. #31 Guy Iradkunda (FSU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Simon Soendergaard (UNC) vs. #41 Lucas Poullain (FSU), 0-6, 5-5 UF
4. #87 Robert Kelly (UNC) vs. Jose Gracia (FSU) 6-3, 4-4 UF
5. Alex Knaff (FSU) d. Blaine Boyden (UNC), 6-2, 6-2
6. Mac Kiger (UNC) d. Chase Wood (FSU), 6-3, 6-2
Records: UNC 19-4 (10-1 ACC), FSU 25-3 (9-2 ACC)
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
UNC Football: Tar Heels Overpower Richmond, 41-6
Sunday, September 14
UNC Players Press Conference, Post-Richmond
Sunday, September 14
Bill Belichick Post-Richmond Press Conference, 9/13/25
Sunday, September 14
UNC Men's Soccer: Sandmeyer Secures 1-1 Draw vs #4 Wake Forest
Saturday, September 13