#22 Men’s Tennis Downs #23 Heels, 4-3

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The No. 22 NC State men's tennis team defeated 23rd-ranked North Carolina on Thursday, getting the victory in a 4-3 decision.

The win marks the Wolfpack's third victory over a top-25 team this season and is the first time since 2013 that NC State has defeated the Tar Heels.

STRAIGHT FROM THE PACK: HEAD COACH KYLE SPENCER

Hear from Head Coach @NCSt10sCoachKyl following today's win at North Carolina!#GoPack | #PackRisin pic.twitter.com/CnOQFQuygN
— NC State Men's Tennis 🐺🎾 (@PackMensTennis) February 18, 2022

DOUBLES
North Carolina opened the match with a pair of doubles wins to take the team point and go into singles with a one-point advantage.

Brian Cernoch and Mac Kiger were the first ones with a win in doubles action, defeating No. 29 Yannai Barkai and Collin Shick 6-2.

Cernoch and Kiger's win was followed several minutes later by Logan Zapp and Casey Kania's 6-4 win over Robin Catry and Damien Salvestre.

SINGLES
The Tar Heels got the first victory of singles action with Benjamin Sigouin's 6-0, 6-2 defeat of No. 125 Martins Rocens.

NC State was quick to even the team score at 2-2 as Rafa Izquierdo Luque got the 6-4, 6-4 win over No. 87 Cernoch and No. 31 Robin Catry notched a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Kiger.

Luca Staeheli put the Pack close to clinching with a win over Zapp, 7-5, 6-4, but North Carolina equalized the team score with Anuj Watane's win over Braden Shick 6-3, 6-4.

Competition came down to court five, where Damien Salvestre and Henry Lieberman were locked in on a three-set thriller. In the end, Salvestre was able to overcome a first-set loss to win 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 and get the win for NC State.

UP NEXT
The Pack returns to the J.W. Isenhour for a four-match homestretch that begins with a doubleheader Thursday, Feb. 24 against Radford (2 p.m.) and NC A&T (6 p.m).

RESULTS
#22 NC State 4, #23 North Caroline 3
Doubles
Order of finish: (1,2)
1. Brian Cernoch/Mac Kiger (North Carolina) def. #29 Yannai Barkai/Collin Shick (NC State) 6-2
2. Logan Zapp/Casey Kania (North Carolina) def. Robin Catry/Damien Salvestre (NC State) 6-4
3. Benjamin Sigouin/Henry Lieberman (North Carolina) vs. Braden Shick/Luca Staeheli (NC State) 4-5, unfinished

Singles
Order of finish: (2,3,1,4,6,5)
1. Rafa Izquierdo Luque (NC State) def. #87 Brian Cernoch (North Carolina) 6-4, 6-4
2. Benjamin Sigouin (North Carolina) def. #125 Martins Rocens (NC State) 6-0, 6-2
3. #31 Robin Catry (NC State) def. Mac Kiger (North Carolina) 6-4, 6-2
4. Luca Staeheli (NC State) def. Logan Zapp (North Carolina) 7-5, 6-4
5. Damien Salvestre (NC State) def. Henry Lieberman (North Carolina) 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Anuj Watane (North Carolina) def. Braden Shick (NC State) 6-3, 6-4

#GoPack | @PackMensTennis

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Players Mentioned

Yannai Barkai

Robin Catry

Rafa Izquierdo Luque

Martins Rocens

Damien Salvestre

Braden Shick

Collin Shick

Luca Staeheli