May 16, 2004

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The No. 17 Ohio State men's tennis team won the first set in five of six singles matches and parlayed that advantage into an eventual 4-3 victory over No. 15 North Carolina in the second round of the 2004 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.

Ohio State improved to 25-4 on the season with the win while UNC's season ended with a 24-5 record. The Buckeyes advance to the NCAA third round for the second year in a row and they will play Virginia next Saturday at the University of Tulsa with a spot in the NCAA quarterfinals on the line.

UNC won the doubles point as Nick Monroe and Geoff Boyd beat Jeremy Wurtzman and Joey Atas 8-4 at No. 1 and Andy Metzler and Brad Pomeroy outlasted Scott Greeen and Ross Wilson at No. 2 by an 8-6 score.

But Ohio State seized the momentum in singles and won the first set in five of the six matches. The Ohio State singles wins came at No. 1 where nationally No. 3-ranked Jeremy Wurtzman beat UNC's Nick Monroe 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 3 where Chris Klingemann scored the decisive point in the match by beating Derek Porter 6-0, 7-5, at No. 4 where Devin Mullins downed Raian Luchici 6-1, 6-2 and at No. 6 where Dennis Mertens downed Geoff Boyd 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Carolina rallied for singles wins at No. 2 where senior Andy Metzler beat Joey Atas 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 and at No. 5 where Brad Pomeroy downed Ross Wilson 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

OHIO STATE 4, NORTH CAROLINA 3
Doubles (North Carolina wins doubles point)
1. No. 17 Geoff Boyd/Nick Monroe (UNC) d. No. 25 Jeremy Wurtzman/Joe Atas (OSU), 8-4
2. Andy Metzer/Brad Pomeroy (UNC) d. Scott Green/Ross Wilson (OSU), 8-6
3. Brenton Contini/Dennis Mertens (OSU) d. Jonathan Janda/Raian Luchici (UNC), 8-3
Singles
1. No. 3 Jeremy Wurtzman (OSU) d. No. 29 Nick Monroe (UNC), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
2. Andy Metzler (UNC) d. Joey Atas (OSU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. Chris Klingemann (OSU) d. Derek Porter (UNC), 6-0, 7-5
4. Devin Mullins (OSU) d. Raian Luchici (UNC), 6-1, 6-2
5. Brad Pomeroy (UNC) d. Ross Wilson (OSU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
6. Dennis Mertens (OSU) d. Geoff Boyd (UNC), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Records: Ohio State 25-4; North Carolina 24-5