Top-Seeded Cavaliers Down North Carolina to Reach ACC Final

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Box Score April 25, 2015

DURHAM, N.C. – The No. 5 Virginia men’s tennis team advanced to the ACC Championship final for the 12th consecutive season with a 4-0 victory over No. 16 North Carolina Saturday at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center on the campus of Duke University. The Cavaliers (22-3) will meet No. 11 Wake Forest in Sunday’s final as they look for their 11th title in the past 12 years.

The win extended Virginia’s win streak against conference opponents (regular season and tournaments) to 138 consecutive matches, the longest streak in ACC history in any sport. It was also the Cavaliers’ 26th consecutive win in the ACC Tournament.

“When you get into the business, you don’t imagine you will be in 12 straight conference finals, especially in a league as tough as the ACC,” said head coach Brian Boland. “It says a lot about the great players and coaches that have come through the program. We look forward to the opportunity to play another final against a really good Wake team. I know the guys are excited for it.”

The match began outdoors at the Cary Tennis Park and Virginia took an early 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. Luca Corinteli (Alexandria, Va.) and Ryan Shane (Falls Church, Va.) gave the Cavaliers the edge with an 8-5 win over Brayden Schnur and Esben Hess-Olesen at No. 1. At No. 2, Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (Charlotte, N.C.) and Mac Styslinger (Birmingham, Ala.) clinched the opening point with their 8-5 win over Brett Clark and Robert Kelly.

Singles play had just begun when rain hit the Cary Tennis Park and play was moved indoors to Duke. When play resumed, the Cavaliers won five of the six first sets, but play was halted at No. 1 and No. 3 singles as leaks developed over those courts at the Blue Devils’ indoor facility.

“It was important to get the doubles point because of the long delay,” said Boland. “It felt like two different matches, so it helped to be up 1-0 before we started the second half of the match a few hours later. One of the things we have done well this year is deal with adversity and adjust to the conditions. That was definitely the case today.”

Virginia doubled its lead as J.C. Aragone posted a 6-3, 6-3 win over Stuart DePaolo at the No. 6 position. Shane, who was three points from victory at No. 1 when the leak delayed his match, returned to the court and closed out his 6-1, 6-1 win over Schnur to make the score 3-0. Mitchell Frank (Annandale, Va.) clinched the Cavaliers’ place in the final as he topped Ronnie Schneider 7-5, 6-4 at the No. 2 position.

“Overall, it was a great match,” said Boland. “We have so much respect for North Carolina and we knew we would have to play well today. It was great to see Ryan have that kind of delay with the roof leak and come back to break to win the match. I thought that was really impressive and he is playing some great tennis right now.”

The ACC Championship final will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Cary Tennis Park. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

#5 VIRGINIA 4, #16 NORTH CAROLINA 0

Doubles:
1. #2 Corinteli/Shane (UVa) def. Hess-Olesen/Schnur (UNC) 8-5
2. #63 Styslinger/Kwiatkowski (UVa) def. #39 Clark/Kelly (UNC) 8-5
3. Altamirano/Frank (UVa) vs. Murray/Schneider (UNC) 6-7 DNF
Order of Finish: 1,2

Singles:
1. #7 Ryan Shane (UVa) def. #12 Brayden Schnur (UNC) 6-1, 6-1
2. #21 Mitchell Frank (UVa) def. #23 Ronnie Schneider (UNC) 7-5, 6-3
3. #93 Collin Altamirano (UVa) vs. #68 Brett Clark (UNC) 6-4, 1-2 DNF
4. #18 Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (UVa) vs. #117 Jack Murray (UNC) 6-2, 4-6, 3-3 DNF
5. Alexander Ritschard (UVa) vs. Robert Kelly (UNC) 4-6, 6-3, 2-2 DNF
6. J.C. Aragone (UVa) def. Stuart DePaolo (UNC) 6-3, 6-3
Order of Finish: 6,1,2