No. 5 Virginia Advances to ACC Semifinals with 4-0 Win over Florida State

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –  The No. 5 Virginia men’s tennis team (20-3) opened up play at the 2019 ACC Men’s Tennis Championship with a 4-0 victory over Florida State (18-10) in a quarterfinal match at the indoor courts at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
 
The Cavaliers won the doubles point and five of six first sets in singles. Freshman Brandon Nakashima (San Diego, Calif.) clinched the victory with a win on singles court two.
 
“Florida State is always a tough opponent,” said head coach Andres Pedroso. “I thought our guys played all-around really solid at every position. It was a strong effort from our team today and I am just excited for tomorrow.”
 
In doubles, senior Aswin Lizen (Douglas, Isle of Man) and sophomore Gianni Ross (Chicago, Ill.) started the match with a dominant 6-1 victory on court three. Senior Henrik Wiersholm (Kirkland, Wash.) and freshman Brandon Nakashima (San Diego, Calif.) clinched the point with a 6-3 victory on court one.
 
In singles, the Cavaliers won five of the six first sets, including Ross and Lizen both winning tiebreakers on courts four and five. Wiersholm gave UVA a 2-0 lead with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Juan Martin Jalif on court three. Junior Carl Soderlund (Stockholm, Sweden) edged No. 40 Lucas Poullain, 7-5, in his first set but dominated the second, 6-0, to put the Cavaliers on the brink. Nakashima closed things out with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Alex Knaff to eliminate the No. 7 seed.
 
The match was moved to the University of North Carolina’s campus after the indoor courts in Cary were deemed unplayable.
 
Virginia, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, will take on the No. 3 seed, North Carolina in the semifinals on Saturday, April 20 at 10 a.m., at the Cary Tennis Park.