Trojans Down Tar Heels, 4-1, In ITA Indoor Championships Final

Monday, February 17

Madison, Wisc.

1 PM

North Carolina

Southern California

Trojans Down Tar Heels, 4-1, In ITA Indoor Championships Final

February 17, 2020 | Men's Tennis

MADISON, WISC.—Second-seeded Southern California won the doubles point and went on to beat fourth-seeded North Carolina, 4-1, on Monday afternoon in the championship match of the 2020 ITA Indoor National Championships.

The Tar Heels lost the doubles point for the first time in 24 matches, dating back to the Miami match on March 24, 2019.

UNC and USC were meeting for the second season in a row. Last year, the Tar Heels beat USC, 4-1, on the road in the NCAA Tournament round of 16, handing the Trojans their first NCAA Tournament loss at Marks Tennis Stadium.

UNC was seeking its second ITA Indoor championship, having beaten Virginia to win it in 2016. Carolina has reached at least the semifinals in four of the last five years.

The Trojans won two of three doubles matches to start the afternoon, with Daniel Cukierman and Riley Smith beating William Blumberg and Brian Cernoch at No. 1, 7-6 (5) and Brandon Holt and Mar Bulis beating third-ranked Mac Kiger and Simon Soendergaard at No. 2, 6-2.

Benjamin Sigouin and Rinky Hijikata won their doubles match at No. 3 against Stefan Dostanic and Bradley Frye, 6-2.

Blumberg bounced back with a win at No. 1 singles over Holt 6-0 (retired) for the Tar Heels' lone point of the day. Cukierman beat Sigouin at No. 2 singles 6-2, 6-1, Bulis beat Josh Peck at No. 4 6-3, 6-1 and Dostanic defeated Cernoch at No. 5 singles 6-1, 6-4.

Hijikakta and Soendergaard had their singles matches go unfinished.

The Tar Heels now will take a two-week break before opening Atlantic Coast Conference play on March 1 at home against Virginia Tech.

Tennis Match Results
North Carolina vs Southern California
ITA Indoor National Championships
2/17/2020 at Madison, Wisc.
#2 Ohio State 4, #4 North Carolina 1`
Doubles competition