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Athletics

Carolina wins ITA National Team Indoor Championship

Carolina's Men's Tennis team, currently ranked No. 7 nationally and playing as the third seed in this tournament, improved to 10-0 on the season with the win.

Graphic showing men's tennis team celebrating and 4-2 score over UVa.

Carolina’s men’s tennis team won its first ITA National Team Indoor Championship in program history on February 15, defeating host and top-ranked Virginia 4-2 at the Boar’s Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Virginia.

With Virginia leading 2-1, juniors Brayden Schnur and Ronnie Schneider fought to wins at No. 1 and No. 2, pulling out third-set tie-breaker victories. Junior Jack Murray sealed the championship with a 6-4, 0-6, 7-5  win at No. 4.

“‘Happiness’ is a huge understatement,” Murray said. “Words can’t begin to describe how it feels to get the job done for my team and coaches. Our team has worked so hard and this was the epitome of all that work.”

The Tar Heels, currently ranked No. 7 nationally and playing as the third seed in this tournament, improved to 10-0 on the season with the win. The Cavaliers (8-1) had won 140 consecutive matches against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, the longest such streak in conference history in any sport.

Virginia is a five-time ITA National Indoors champion, while the Tar Heels were playing in their first-ever final and had never reached the semifinals prior to this year. The Cavaliers ran out to an early 2-0 lead, winning the doubles point and also the fifth singles spot, where sophomore Robert Kelly suffered his first loss of the year, 6-2, 6-3 to J.C. Aragone.

Playing at No. 6, freshman Anu Kodali won in straight sets get the Tar Heels on the board at 2-1.

“It was a great college match,” said Tar Heels coach Sam Paul. “We know Virginia has a great team and it was a battle all the way to the end. I’m so proud of my guys and how hard they fought all the way through. Nobody hung their heads after the doubles point – they just kept working hard. I’m really happy for them.”

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