March 31, 2002

CHAPEL HILL N.C. -- The University of North Carolina men's tennis team won for the second time this weekend, defeating Virginia Commonwealth 5-2 at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. The 40th-ranked Tar Heels (12-4, 3-0 ACC) upset the 15th-ranked Rams (16-3) for the third consecutive year.

Marcio Petrone, the Tar Heels' lone senior, led the Tar Heels in victory with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Pedro Nieto at the #1 position. Petrone is now 13-2 in the spring season and 19-5 for the entire year. Earlier in the day, Petrone teamed with junior Greg Archer to defeat nationally seventh-ranked Florian Marquardt and Pedro Nieto, 8-2 in doubles play.

Freshman Daniel Pinchbeck continued his successful freshman season with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over 112th-ranked Marton Ott. The loss was Ott's first of the season and Pinchbeck's victory sealed the win for the improving Tar Heels.

UNC swept all three doubles matches before winning four of the six singles matches. The Tar Heels final home match of the season will take place Wednesday, April 3 against 19th-ranked Wake Forest at 3 p.m.

#40 North Carolina 5, #15 Virginia Commonwealth 2

Doubles

Team winning majority of matches earns one team point

No. 1 Greg Archer/Marcio Petrone (UNC) d. #7 Florian Marquardt/Pedro Nieto (VCU) 8-2

No. 2 Marton Ott/Mats Norin (VCU) d. Geoff Boyd/Nicholas Monroe (UNC) 8-6

No. 3 Trystan Meniane/Daniel Pinchbeck (UNC) d. Daniel Casquero/Fernando Sanchez (VCU) 9-8(5)

Singles

No. 1 Marcio Petrone (UNC) d. Pedro Nieto (VCU) 6-4, 7-6

No. 2 #65 Florian Marquardt (VCU) d. Trystan Meniane (UNC) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6

No. 3 Daniel Pinchbeck (UNC) d. #112 Marton Ott (VCU) 6-2, 6-4*

No. 5 Daniel Casquero (VCU) d. Geoff Boyd (UNC) 6-2, 6-4

No. 6 Andrew Metzler (UNC) d. Julien Lousao (VCU) 6-1, 6-2