The University of Georgia men’s tennis team saw its run in the 2019 NCAA Tournament come to an end with a 4-1 loss to 10th-ranked North Carolina on Saturday.
No. 18 Georgia closes the season with a 14-11 overall record after making its 41st overall and 36th-straight NCAA tournament appearance. The Bulldogs return seven letter winners to go along with a top-5 signing class next season.
“Our guys really played their hearts out today,” head coach Manuel Diaz. “North Carolina played an outstanding match and all credit goes to them. I am proud of our guys — we were short-handed this weekend, but they continued to fight. We had to overcome a lot all season, and I want to thank our seniors for setting a great example for these young guys. I know all of our players who are coming back are going to work extremely hard and will be ready this fall.”
Georgia fell in doubles, but not without putting up a fight at courts two and three.
Alex Diaz and Robert Loeb went up a break, 2-0, before their North Carolina counterparts broke back quickly in the next game. Everything stayed on serve from there. While that match was coming down to the wire, Georgia’s rookie combo of Trent Bryde and Philip Henning faced three break points at 5-all, but held to go up 6-5.
Georgia’s freshmen then faced a tiebreaker, where North Carolina jumped ahead quickly at 4-0 and clinched the doubles point with a 7-6 (3) victory.
Down 1-0, Georgia had work to do. After Byde tripped up, 6-0, 6-1 at court No. 3, fellow Georgia freshman Blake Croyder secured his eighth-straight victory of the year with a 6-1, 6-1 win against Simon Soendergaard at No. 6.
North Carolina still led, 2-1, and was up a set on three other courts. The Tar Heels took a 6-4, 6-3 triumph at court four as Henning fell to #116 Brian Cernoch. Then, UNC clinched the match at court five, where Blaine Boyden defeated Walker Duncan, 6-4, 6-3.
No. 10 North Carolina 4, No. 18 Georgia 1
Singles
Order of finish: 3,6,4,5
- #19 William Blumberg (UNC) vs. #38 Emil Reinberg (UGA), 6-4, 3-3 unfinished
- #39 Benjamin Sigouin (UNC) vs. Robert Loeb (UGA), 7-6(5), 3-1 unfinished
- #110 Josh Peck (UNC) d. Trent Bryde (UGA), 6-0, 6-1
- #116 Brian Cernoch (UNC) d. #115 Philip Henning (UGA), 6-4, 6-3
- Blaine Boyden (UNC) d. Walker Duncan (UGA), 6-4, 6-3
- Blake Croyder (UGA) d. Simon Soendergaard (UNC), 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
Order of finish: 1,3
- #13 Blumberg/Boyden (UNC) d. #61 Duncan/Reinberg (UGA), 6-0
- #90 Cernoch/Sigouin (UNC) vs. Diaz/Loeb (UGA), 5-5 unfinished
- Kiger/Soendergaard (UNC) d. Bryde/Henning (UGA), 7-6(3)
Records: UNC 20-6, Georgia 14-11