Men’s Tennis Rolls Past Arizona, 4-1, Into Sweet 16
The Tar Heels advance to next weekend’s NCAA Super Regional next weekend at No. 2 overall seed Florida, which defeated Miami in the second round on Saturday in Gainesville, Fla.
Carolina won for the 10th time in its last 12 matches and improved to 18-8 this season. Arizona’s season came to an end at 21-7.
UNC advanced to the Sweet 16 for the eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament, the second-longest active streak in the country.
The Tar Heels started the day by winning the doubles point behind wins from Benjamin Sigouin and Murphy at No. 3 and Casey Kania other Logan Zapp at No. 2.
Sigouin got Carolina off to a good start in singles play with a 6-3, 6-4 win over 53rd-ranked Gusutaf Strom at No. 2, making the score 2-0. The Wildcats cut it to 2-1 with a win by Herman Hoeyeraal at No. 4 singles over Zapp.
Brian Cernoch, ranked no. 33 nationally this week in singles play, beat no. 52 Jonas Ziverts, 7-6, 6-3 at No. 1 to make the score 3-1 before Murphy won the clincher.
MacKiger and Ben Sigouin credit fan support at today’s NCAA 2nd Round win; Sigouin explains his winner to clinch the doubles point. pic.twitter.com/rYCcNOSgAr
— UNC Men’s Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) May 8, 2022
Coach Paul gives much respect to Arizona while crediting his team’s hard work and resilience to win 12 of its last 15 matches, advancing to the program’s 8th straight @NCAATennis sweet 16 pic.twitter.com/v0E2dM1zhA
— UNC Men’s Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) May 8, 2022
UNC 4 AZ 1 Peter Murphy clinches UNC’s 8th straight trip to Sweet 16, 7-6, 6-4 pic.twitter.com/1pw7lx7IQP
— UNC Men’s Tennis 🐏🎾 (@carolinatennis) May 7, 2022
Tennis Match Results
Arizona vs North Carolina
May 07, 2022 at Chapel Hill, NC (Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center)
#15 North Carolina 4, #16 Arizona 1
Singles competition
1. #33 Brian Cernoch (NC) def. #52 Jonas Ziverts (ARIZ) 7-6, 6-3
2. Benjamin Sigouin (NC) def. #53 Gustaf Strom (ARIZ) 6-3, 6-4
3. MacKiger (NC) vs. Colton Smith (ARIZ) 6-7, 6-4, 5-4, unfinished
4. #116 Herman Hoeyeraal (ARIZ) def. Logan Zapp (NC) 6-4, 6-3
5. Anuj Watane (NC) vs. Carlos Hassey (ARIZ) 6-3, 2-6, 2-5, unfinished
6. Peter Murphy (NC) def. Nick Lagaev (ARIZ) 7-6, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. #50 Jonas Ziverts/Herman Hoeyeraal (ARIZ) def. #16 Brian Cernoch/MacKiger (NC) 6-6, 8-6
2. Casey Kania/Logan Zapp (NC) def. Carlos Hassey/Gustaf Strom (ARIZ) 6-6, 7-4
3. Benjamin Sigouin/Peter Murphy (NC) def. Colton Smith/Jared Horwood (ARIZ) 6-4
Match Notes:
Arizona 21-7; National ranking #16
North Carolina 18-8; National ranking #15
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,4,1,6) T-3:10 A-475