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April 12, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE – The No. 2 ranked Virginia men’s tennis team closes out its regular season schedule with a pair of home matches this weekend. The Cavaliers host No. 16 Duke at 3 p.m. on Friday and No. 5 North Carolina at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
On Friday, Virginia (21-3, 9-0 ACC) will look to make history in its match against Duke. A victory will clinch at least a share of the Cavaliers’ fourth consecutive ACC regular season title. They would also become the first team in conference history to post a double-digit win total in the ACC regular season. If the Cavaliers win both matches this weekend, they will finish the ACC regular season undefeated for the second time in school history. In 2005, Virginia went 9-0 in conference play.
The Blue Devils (14-7, 6-2) enter the match on a three-match winning streak. Duke posted its biggest win of the season on Wednesday, downing rival North Carolina 5-2 in Chapel Hill to knock the Tar Heels from the ranks of the unbeaten. Virginia has won the regular season meeting between the schools in each of the past three seasons, including winning in Durham in each of the past two years.
The Tar Heels (20-1, 8-1) will visit Virginia Tech on Friday before meeting the Cavaliers on Sunday. North Carolina was one of two remaining unbeaten teams in the country until suffering their first loss of the season on Wednesday to Duke. North Carolina won last year’s matchup with Virginia 4-3 in Chapel Hill. Since coming to Virginia in 2002, Brian Boland has a winning record against every ACC school expect North Carolina (1-5).
Sunday’s match with North Carolina is part of a Virginia tennis doubleheader. The women’s tennis team will play Georgia Tech at 11 a.m. Sunday with the men’s match against North Carolina slated for 1 p.m.
All of this weekend’s matches are slated for the Snyder Tennis Center. If there is inclement weather, play will be moved indoors to the Boyd Tinsley Courts at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. Admission is free to all regular season Virginia tennis matches.