May 22, 2002

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - Senior Marcio Petrone of the University of North Carolina men's tennis team saw his outstanding Tar Heel career end in the opening round of the NCAA Singles Championship Wednesday.

Petrone, Most Valuable Player of the 2002 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, fell to the #5 seed in the 64-man singles tournament. Al Garland of Pepperdine downed Petrone in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.

Petrone, a Brazilian native who played at Florida International his freshman year before FIU dropped its tennis team, played three years as a Tar Heel. He was 26-8 in singles as a senior. Overall in his career, including the year at FIU, was 67-35 in singles.

Petrone captained the Tar Heels to a 19-6 record as a senior as North Carolina captured its first ACC championship in 10 seasons.