#20 Wolfpack Falls To #18 North Carolina, 4-3

RALEIGH - The No. 20 NC State men's tennis team (17-8, 6-6 ACC) fell in its regular-season finale to 18th-ranked North Carolina on Sunday in a 4-3 decision.

The Wolfpack celebrated its 2022 senior class on Sunday, honoring Yannai Barkai, Rafa Izquierdo Luque and Collin Shick in a post-match ceremony.

STRAIGHT FROM THE PACK: HEAD COACH KYLE SPENCER

Hear from Head Coach @NCSt10sCoachKyl following today's match against #18 North Carolina ⬇️#GoPack | #PackRisin pic.twitter.com/Y8oqEcucn1
— NC State Men's Tennis 🐺🎾 (@PackMensTennis) April 17, 2022

DOUBLES RECAP
Competition was tight from the start, but the Pack was able to get out in front early with a pair of doubles wins.

On court one, No. 58 Martins Rocens and Fons Van Sambeek went up early and cruised to a top-10 win. The duo defeated No. 8 Brian Cernoch and Mac Kiger in a swift 6-2 win.

Playing together for the second match in a row were Braden Shick and Collin Shick, and the brothers were able to get their second-straight victory together. The pair got the win over Benjamin Sigouin and Peter Murphy in a 6-3 decision.

SINGLES RECAP
After securing the doubles point, the Wolfpack was able to achieve two singles wins but ultimately fell in four of its singles matchups.

The Tar Heels' Sigouin opened the singles competition with a 7-6(5), 6-0 win over Martins Rocens.

Luca Staeheli answered by shutting out Kiger in the first set but dropped his second set before earning the first NC State singles win of the day with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 victory.

Damien Salvestre earned a win of his own, gutting out a 7-5, 6-4 defeat of Anuj Watane to gain NC State's third team point of the match.

No. 101 Robin Catry dropped his first set but came back to win his second. Ultimately, Catry fell in the last set to Logan Zapp, and Zapp came away with the 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 win.

On court one, 116th-ranked Rafa Izquierdo Luque dropped a three-set 6-3, 5-7, 6-0 match to No. 33 Cernoch.

Peter Murphy secured the victory for North Carolina, defeating Van Sambeek in a 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-2 win.

UP NEXT
The Wolfpack heads to Rome, Georgia for the ACC Championships. Sixth-seeded NC State will take on 11th-seeded Virginia Tech Thursday, April 21 at 12:30 p.m.

RESULTS
#18 North Carolina 4, #20 NC State 3
Doubles
Order of Finish: (1,3)
1. #58 Martins Rocens/Fons Van Sambeek (NC State) def. #8 Brian Cernoch/Mac Kiger (North Carolina) 6-2
2. #38 Robin Catry/Luca Staeheli (NC State) vs. #89 Logan Zapp/Casey Kania (North Carolina) 4-5, unfinished
3. Braden Shick/Collin Shick (NC State) def. Benjamin Sigouin/Peter Murphy (North Carolina) 6-3

Singles
Order of Finish: (2,3,5,4,1,6)
1. #33 Brian Cernoch (North Carolina) def. #116 Rafa Izquierdo Luque (NC State) 6-3, 5-7, 6-0
2. Benjamin Sigouin (North Carolina) def. Martins Rocens (NC State) 7-6 (5-7), 6-0
3. Luca Staeheli (NC State) def. Mac Kiger (North Carolina) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1
4. Logan Zapp (North Carolina) def. #101 Robin Catry (NC State) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
5. Damien Salvestre (NC State) def. Anuj Watane (North Carolina) 7-5, 6-4
6. Peter Murphy (North Carolina) def. Fons Van Sambeek (NC State) 7-6 (2-7), 4-6, 6-2

#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

Fons Van Sambeek