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CHARLOTTESVILLE — The Virginia men’s tennis team will open play in the 2009 NCAA Tournament this weekend as it hosts a regional at the Snyder Tennis Center. The top-seeded Cavaliers meet Navy in the first round at 1 p.m. on Friday. South Carolina and North Carolina play in Friday’s first match at 10 a.m. and Friday’s winners meet at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the second round.

Virginia (29-0) completed its second consecutive undefeated regular season and are the No. 1 seed in the tournament for the second straight year. The Cavaliers are making their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 11th appearance overall. UVa is 18-10 overall in the tournament, including a 16-5 mark in the Brian Boland era. Virginia is the only team in the nation to be a top-eight seed in the NCAA Tournament in each of the past six seasons and the Cavaliers’ 16 NCAA Tournament wins during that period rank fourth nationally (Georgia, UCLA, Baylor). The Cavaliers have reached the round of 16 the last five years, the quarterfinals the last four years and semifinals the last two years.

The Cavaliers are hosting a regional for the sixth consecutive year. Virginia is 10-0 in NCAA Tournament matches in Charlottesville. Overall, the Cavaliers are riding a school-record 46-match home win streak, dating back to the 2006 season.

Navy (18-7) is making its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Patriot League title. The Midshipmen have lost to Florida and Texas in the first round in the last two tournaments.

South Carolina (15-10) is ranked No. 31 nationally and making its first NCAA appearance since 2006. The Gamecocks were ranked as high as No. 15 nationally this season as they started the year 15-3, but enter the NCAA Tournament on a seven-match losing streak.

North Carolina (16-10) is ranked No. 37 nationally and making its 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Tar Heels went 4-7 in the ACC this season to finish in eighth place. At the ACC Tournament, they topped Clemson in the first round 4-1, before falling 4-0 to the Cavaliers in the quarterfinals.

Admission to the matches is free. Pay parking is available at the Central Grounds Garage. Tennis fans can park for free ON SATURDAY at the Culbreth Road Parking Garage, located behind Carr’s Hill Field.

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