May 27, 2004

TULSA, OKLA. - North Carolina's Nick Monroe upset 10th-ranked Alex Vlaski of Washington to advance to the third round of the singles draw of the 2004 NCAA Division Men's Tennis Championships Thursday at the University of Tulsa. Monroe will play Stanford's K.C. Corkery Friday in the third round.

Monroe, a native of Olathe, Kan., downed Vlaski in the second round Thursday with a straight set win over the Huskies' Vlaski 6-3, 6-4. Monroe, ranked #29, avenged a three-set loss to Vlaski in a dual-match during the 2003 season when Vlaski endured to beat Monroe 7-5 in the third set. Vlaski saw his outstanding 2003-04 come to an end. His season was highlighted by a singles championship last fall in the All-American Championships in Chattanooga, Tenn.

In the first round of doubles on Thursday, the No. 17 team of Monroe and junior Geoff Boyd (Atlanta, Ga.) fell to LSU's 13th-ranked team of Bryan Fisher and Jason Hazley by a 6-4, 7-6 score.

Monroe will be seeking the 100th singles win of his Tar Heel career Friday the third round of the NCAA singles bracket against 65th-ranked K.C. Corkery of Stanford. He would become the second Tar Heel to compile 100 win as David Caldwell won a school record 116 singles matches from 1993-96.