CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Following a 4-1 victory over Penn State on Friday, the Vanderbilt men’s tennis team fell 4-1 on Saturday night to No. 7 North Carolina in the ITA Kickoff Weekend regional Championship.
UNC, the defending National Team Indoor champion, captured the doubles point against Vandy with victories on courts two and three. With momentum on their side the Tar Heels came out of the gate hot in singles to take five first sets and matches on courts two, five and one, respectively.
The Tar Heel’s No. 43 Jack Murray and Ronnie Schneider took the first contest of the day, defeating Baker Newman and Panu Virtanen 6-2. With the point on the line, Lachlan McPhee and Billy Rowe fell to Blaine Boyden and Simon Soendergaard, 6-3. Cameron Klinger and Pen Binet led Robert Kelly and William Blumberg five games to four at the clinch.
Blumberg gave North Carolina its first singles win of the meeting, defeating VU’s 97th-ranked Daniel Valent 6-3, 6-2 on court two.
Vanderbilt’s singles win over UNC came on court three as Newman put on a commanding performance for the black and gold. The junior only allowed Soendergaard one game in the first set and was able to close out the victory 6-1, 6-4.
North Carolina took the 3-1 lead over Vandy following Murray’s 6-3, 6-3 victory over Rowe on court five. After a 5-1 first-set deficit, Klinger battled back into his matchup on court one against No. 38 Schneider. The Vandy sophomore took four games apiece in both sets, but Schneider was able to close out the match in straight sets for the win and spot at National Team Indoors.
At the clinch, both Virtanen on court six and McPhee on court four had just split sets. Virtanen dropped his first set 3-6 against No. 57 Josh Peck but rebounded to take the second set over the ranked foe, 6-1. Kelly took the opening set over McPhee, 3-6, with the sophomore Commodore forcing a third set, 6-3.
With the loss, the Commodores fall to 6-2 overall and are 0-2 against ITA Top-25 teams. Head coach Ian Duvenhage sits one victory away from his 150th win at Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt will have another competition against North Carolina at home, hosting the squad on Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. VU’s next home contest is Friday as the ‘Dores host No. 1 Virginia at 5 p.m.
