Men's Tennis Nearly Snaps Duke Streak

The North Carolina men's tennis team was undaunted by the challenge of taking perennial ACC power Duke on Wednesday.

The Tar Heels didn't worry about the 47 straight ACC wins that Duke has posted over the past five years.

They put out of their minds the fact that UNC last beat the Devils in 1996.

They weren't concerned that both teams were undefeated in the conference.

When the 3-3 match came down to a contest between two new players at the No. 6 seed, the Tar Heels didn't dwell on inexperience.

In the end, No. 25 UNC came just short of knocking off 11th-ranked Duke, falling 4-3 at Ambler Tennis Stadium.

Sophomore transfer Andy Metzler hadn't played Duke before, but he said he was confident in his deciding match against Blue Devil freshman Peter Schults. Nevertheless, Metzler lost in three grueling sets, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5.

"We've been there time and time again," Metzler said. "I just wish I could have come through for the team this time."

Posting one of six service breaks in the third set, Metzler hit an unreturnable forehand down the line to put him up 5-3, with the serve.

But Metzler's momentum was cut at deuce.

"We were two points away from winning this," Metzler said. "But everyone worked hard and we all had our chances. That's all we can do."

After getting broken in consecutive service games and giving Schults a 6-5 lead, Metzler didn't score in the final game.

"We were definitely lucky to come out with a win in this one," said Duke coach Jay Lapidus. "They're a very dangerous team."

Some earlier matches were just as tight as the finale, with UNC's No. 4 Nick Monroe going to three sets against Joel Spiche. Monroe bounced back after losing the first set tiebreaker, taking the match 6-7, 6-1, 6-0.

Following suit, the No. 1 and No. 2 matches each went to a tiebreak. The Tar Heels' 53rd-ranked Marcio Petrone lost to 11th-ranked Phillip King 7-6 (7-0), 6-1 and UNC's Trystan Meniane won in an upset against No. 58 Michael Yani 7-5 (7-5), 6-2.

"It was a great college tennis match," said UNC coach Sam Paul. "This match was what college tennis is all about."

A few players coasted to relatively easy wins, including Duke's Yorke Allen, who beat Geoff Boyd 6-2, 6-4. UNC's Daniel Pinchbeck had little trouble with Jason Zimmerman, winning 6-3, 6-2.

Duke took the lead early by winning the doubles point. The Blue Devil pair of King and Yani beat Petrone and Greg Archer 8-2 and Duke's Zimmerman and Alex Bose topped Tar Heels Boyd and Meniane.

Said Paul, "We can definitely play better, and we'll learn from this match."

 

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu