Sunday, January 23
Chapel Hill
Noon
North Carolina
7
vs
0
Bucknell
Mark Dillon
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Men's Tennis Blanks Bison, 7-0, In Season Opener
January 23, 2022 | Men's Tennis
CHAPEL HILL—North Carolina's men's tennis team, ranked No. 13 in the nation in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, opened its 2022 dual match season with a dominant, 7-0 win over Bucknell on Sunday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.
Carolina won the doubles point and all six singles matches as it started the season 1-0 in head coach Sam Paul's 29th season at the helm of the Tar Heel program. Bucknell fell to 0-2.
The two teams originally were scheduled to play a doubleheader on Sunday but played just one instead due to wintry weather and poor road conditions in the area throughout the weekend.
The Tar Heels took the doubles point in quick order, as the 20th-ranked duo of Casey Kania and Logan Zapp dispatched Tim Zelikovsky and Carlos Carvalho, 6-2, at No. 2 doubles. Shortly thereafter, Henry Lieberman, new to the program as a senior transfer from Charlotte, and Peter Murphy beat Ink Chen and Nicholas Grunig, 6-2, to clinch the doubles point for UNC.
The match at No. 1 doubles went unfinished with Bucknell's Michael Owen and Nick Mueller leading Brian Cernoch and Mac Kiger, 5-3.
In singles action, Cernoch won in dominant fashion at No. 1, beating Mueller, 6-0, 6-0. Mark Dillon gave a strong effort at No. 6, putting the Tar Heels ahead, 3-0, with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Carlos Carvalho. Murphy clinched the team victory and made it 4-0 with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Grunig at No. 5.
Zapp upped the UNC lead to 5-0 with a 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 3 singles over Zelikovsky. Kiger won at No. 2, 6-2, 7-5, and made the score 6-0 Carolina.
Lieberman wrapped up the day by winning his first dual singles match as a Tar Heel, outlasting Ink Chen in the second set at No. 4 to win, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7).
The Tar Heels will return to action next Saturday when they host the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Chapel Hill. UNC will host Northwestern and Arizona State will play Ohio State at times to be determined. The winners will meet on Sunday.
Carolina won the doubles point and all six singles matches as it started the season 1-0 in head coach Sam Paul's 29th season at the helm of the Tar Heel program. Bucknell fell to 0-2.
The two teams originally were scheduled to play a doubleheader on Sunday but played just one instead due to wintry weather and poor road conditions in the area throughout the weekend.
The Tar Heels took the doubles point in quick order, as the 20th-ranked duo of Casey Kania and Logan Zapp dispatched Tim Zelikovsky and Carlos Carvalho, 6-2, at No. 2 doubles. Shortly thereafter, Henry Lieberman, new to the program as a senior transfer from Charlotte, and Peter Murphy beat Ink Chen and Nicholas Grunig, 6-2, to clinch the doubles point for UNC.
The match at No. 1 doubles went unfinished with Bucknell's Michael Owen and Nick Mueller leading Brian Cernoch and Mac Kiger, 5-3.
In singles action, Cernoch won in dominant fashion at No. 1, beating Mueller, 6-0, 6-0. Mark Dillon gave a strong effort at No. 6, putting the Tar Heels ahead, 3-0, with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Carlos Carvalho. Murphy clinched the team victory and made it 4-0 with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Grunig at No. 5.
Zapp upped the UNC lead to 5-0 with a 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 3 singles over Zelikovsky. Kiger won at No. 2, 6-2, 7-5, and made the score 6-0 Carolina.
Lieberman wrapped up the day by winning his first dual singles match as a Tar Heel, outlasting Ink Chen in the second set at No. 4 to win, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7).
The Tar Heels will return to action next Saturday when they host the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Chapel Hill. UNC will host Northwestern and Arizona State will play Ohio State at times to be determined. The winners will meet on Sunday.
Match Results
Bucknell vs North Carolina
Jan 23, 2022 at Chapel Hill, N.C. (Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center)
#13 North Carolina 7, Bucknell 0
Singles competition
1. #60 Brian Cernoch (NC) def. Nick Mueller (BUCK) 6-0, 6-0
2. Mac Kiger (NC) def. Michael Owen (BUCK) 6-2, 7-5
3. Logan Zapp (NC) def. Tim Zelikovsky (BUCK) 6-4, 6-0
4. Henry Lieberman (NC) def. Ink Chen (BUCK) 6-3, 7-6 (9-7)
5. Peter Murphy (NC) def. Nicholas Grunig (BUCK) 6-1, 6-2
6. Mark Dillon (NC) def. Carlos Carvalho (BUCK) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Brian Cernoch/Mac Kiger (NC) vs. Michael Owen/Nick Mueller (BUCK) 3-5, unfinished
2. #20 Logan Zapp/Casey Kania (NC) def. Tim Zelikovsky/Carlos Carvalho (BUCK) 6-2
3. Henry Lieberman/Peter Murphy (NC) def. Ink Chen/Nicholas Grunig (BUCK) 6-2
Match Notes:
Bucknell 0-2
North Carolina 1-0; National ranking #13
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,6,5,3,2) T-2 hrs A-100
Bucknell vs North Carolina
Jan 23, 2022 at Chapel Hill, N.C. (Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center)
#13 North Carolina 7, Bucknell 0
Singles competition
1. #60 Brian Cernoch (NC) def. Nick Mueller (BUCK) 6-0, 6-0
2. Mac Kiger (NC) def. Michael Owen (BUCK) 6-2, 7-5
3. Logan Zapp (NC) def. Tim Zelikovsky (BUCK) 6-4, 6-0
4. Henry Lieberman (NC) def. Ink Chen (BUCK) 6-3, 7-6 (9-7)
5. Peter Murphy (NC) def. Nicholas Grunig (BUCK) 6-1, 6-2
6. Mark Dillon (NC) def. Carlos Carvalho (BUCK) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Brian Cernoch/Mac Kiger (NC) vs. Michael Owen/Nick Mueller (BUCK) 3-5, unfinished
2. #20 Logan Zapp/Casey Kania (NC) def. Tim Zelikovsky/Carlos Carvalho (BUCK) 6-2
3. Henry Lieberman/Peter Murphy (NC) def. Ink Chen/Nicholas Grunig (BUCK) 6-2
Match Notes:
Bucknell 0-2
North Carolina 1-0; National ranking #13
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,6,5,3,2) T-2 hrs A-100
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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