May 11, 2007

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 6-seeded North Carolina received a stiff challenge from Big South Conference champion Radford but the Tar Heels persevered and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship for the third time in the past four seasons Friday afternoon at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

UNC will meet No. 27-ranked NC State (21-9) Saturday at 4 p.m. in the NCAA Round of 32 match at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

UNC won the doubles point in 46 minutes and then went on to win three singles matches in 1:53 to wrap up the victory.

Carolina improves its 2007 record to 24-3 with the win and is now one victory shy of the school record for victories in a season set by the 1992 and 2006 teams. Radford saw its best season in school history end with a record of 19-7.

North Carolina jumped out to a 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point for the 24th time in 27 matches this season. The first match off the court was at No. 2 doubles where Tar Heel senior Sebastian Guejman and freshman Stefan Hardy defeated Patrick Metham and Mehdi Benhammou 8-4. UNC then clinched the doubles point at the 48th minute into the doubles play as sophomore Taylor Fogleman and freshman Chris Kearney downed James Lloyd and Luka Rister 8-5. Carolina's Lenny Gullan and David Stone led Martin Sayer and Zack Watson at No. 1 by a 7-6 score when play was suspended.

In singles play, the Tar Heels upped their lead to 2-0 as Taylor Fogleman dispatched Mehdi Benhammou in 58 minutes to win 6-2, 6-0. The win gave Fogleman a team-leading 26th singles triumph this year and improved him to 26-12 overall in singles action. The first five games of the match resulted in service breaks but Fogleman ended up winning the last 10 games in a row to claim the victory.

Radford pulled with 2-1 as No. 76-ranked Martin Sayer beat UNC's Benjamin Carlotti 7-5, 6-0. The win improved Sayer to 31-8 on the season in singles. Carlotti went into the match ranked 75th nationally.

Carolina went on to win the final two points with tremendous comeback efforts in the second sets of both victories. Sebastian Guejman won the first set from Radford's Luka Rister 6-3 but trailed 5-2 in the second set before taking five straight games to win the match and elevate Carolina to a 3-1 lead. At No. 3 singles, Stefan Hardy of the Tar Heels won the first set 6-2 over Patrick Metham but he trailed 3-0 in the second set before rallying to win 7-5 to close out the match for the Heels. Hardy held at 4-5 and then broke Metham in game 11 before serving out the match in the 12th game.

Play on courts 2 and 6 was suspended at that point with Radford up a set on court 2 and UNC up a set on court 6.

Match Notes:

*Radford earned its first NCAA berth in school history as the Big South Tournament champion
*Carolina is hosting an NCAA regional for the second straight year and third time in the last four years
*UNC has earned an NCAA berth for the eighth straight year

Final Score: North Carolina 4, Radford 1
Doubles (Team winning majority of 3 matches earns one team point; pro set format)
1. No. 40 Lenny Gullan/David Stone (UNC) led Martin Sayer/Zack Watson (Radford),, 7-6, suspended
2. Sebastian Guejman/Stefan Hardy (UNC) def. Patrick Metham/Mehdi Benhammou (Radford), 8-4
3. Taylor Fogleman/Chris Kearney (UNC) def. James Lloyd/Luka Rister (Radford), 8-5*
Order of finish: 2, 3 (:48), DNF
*Clinched the doubles point
Singles (Best 2 of 3 sets)
1. No. 76 Martin Sayer (Radford) d. No. 75 Benjamin Carlotti (UNC), 7-5, 6-0
2. James Lloyd (Radford) led Chris Kearney (UNC), 7-6 (1), 1-1, suspended
3. Stefan Hardy (UNC) def. Patrick Metham (Radford), 6-2, 7-5*
4. Taylor Fogleman (UNC) def. Mehdi Benhammou (Radford), 6-2, 6-0
5. Sebastian Guejman (UNC) d. Luka Rister (Radford), 6-3, 7-5
6. Will Plyler (UNC) led Zack Watson (Radford), 7-5, 2-1
Order of finish: 4 (:58), 1 (1:30), 5 (1:35), 3 (1:53)
*Clinched the match
Records: North Carolina 24-3, Radford 19-7