April 22, 2000

NORCROSS, Ga. -- The North Carolina men's tennis team advanced to the finals of the ACC Men's Tennis Championship for the first time since 1996 defeating the Clemson Tigers 4-3 at the Raquet Club of the South in Norcross, Ga.

The Tigers jumped out to the lead winning the doubles point with victories from Josh Goffi and Darren Knight at #1 doubles and Eric Cohn and Sandon Barth at the #3 position.

In singles, North Carolina garnered victories from #1, #4, #5, and #6 to give them the 4-3 edge over the Tigers. Three of those singles matches went to three sets. Highlighting Clemson was the #2 singles player Tomasz Boniecki who defeated Assaf Drori 6-2, 7-6 and at #3 singles as Luis Garcia defeated David Cheatwood 6-2, 6-3.

Clemson leaves the championship 17-16 overall and 6-4 in the ACC. North Carolina (17-4, 8-2) advances to the finals to face the winner of the #1 seeded Duke Blue Devils and #4 seeded Virginia Cavaliers. The championship match is scheduled for Sunday, April 23 at 12:00.

NORTH CAROLINA 4, CLEMSON 3

Singles
1. Tripp Phillips (UNC) d. Josh Goffi (CU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
2. Tomasz Boniecki (CU) d. Assaf Drori (UNC) 6-2, 7-6
3. Luis Garcia (CU) d. David Cheatwood (UNC) 6-2, 6-3
4. Marcio Petrone (UNC) d. Micah Thompson (CU) 7-6, 6-2
5. Trystan Meniane (UNC) d. Marko Gojanovic (CU) 6-7, 6-3, 6-2
6. Chad Riley (UNC) d. Eric Cohn (CU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4

Doubles
1. Goffi-Darren Knight (CU) d. Drori-Greg Archer (UNC) 8-5
2. Phillips-Cheatwood (UNC) d. Gojanovic-Boniecki (CU) 8-6
3. Cohn-Sandon Barth (CU) d. Petrone-Tyne Brownlow (UNC) 9-7