April 20, 2007

CARY, N.C. - Four teams survived the first round of the 2007 ACC Men's Tennis Championship at Cary Tennis Park despite cool, overcast weather and a three-hour rain delay late Thursday afternoon. Clemson, Florida State, Miami and Virginia Tech secured victories to advance to Friday's quarterfinals.

Boston College, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Miami kicked off the championship at 9 a.m., as the Tigers made quick work of the 12th-seeded Eagles. Clemson, seeded fifth in the championship, picked up an early 1-0 lead after securing wins in the top two doubles flights. Clemson then carried the momentum into singles with wins by Ike Belk at the sixth slot, Carlos Alvarez in the fifth spot and Ryan Young's decisive clincher that secured the Tigers' 4-0 victory. Clemson will play its second early morning match of the championship when it faces the No. 4 seed Wake Forest at 9 a.m. on Friday.

The first-round battle proved to be tougher for Miami, but the eighth-seeded Hurricanes were able to edge the No. 9 seed Georgia Tech 4-3. Miami started off the day winning the doubles point, secured by All-ACC pick Daniel Vallverdu and Vivek Subramanian at the No. 2 flight, and the team's No. 3 duo of J.C. Whitner and Hector Nieto. In singles action, ACC Player of the Year Luigi D'Agord and Josh Cohen gave the Hurricanes a solid 3-0 lead but Georgia Tech fought back to tie the match. Vallverdu, a sophomore from Valencia, Venezuela, pulled off a huge feat for Miami, as he notched his third match-clinching win of the season with a 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-4 triumph over the Yellow Jackets' Jose Muguruza at No. 2 singles.

Because of inclement weather and high stakes drama, Virginia Tech needed about eight hours and two venues to defeat NC State, 4-3. After the Wolfpack won the doubles point and the singles matches were underway, rain began to fall on the Cary Tennis Park forcing a delay. The match was eventually moved indoors at the University of North Carolina's Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. The Wolfpack extended its lead to 3-2 before the Hokies rallied. Virginia Tech captured three-set victories at Nos. 5 and 6 to earn the come-from-behind victory. The Hokies advance to play second-seeded UNC at 12 noon on Friday in the quarterfinals.

Sixth-seeded Florida State knocked off 11th-seeded Maryland, 4-0, in the last first round match of the day. The Seminoles swept the doubles action and picked up singles victories at Nos. 2, 4 and 5 to seal the win. FSU moves to play No. 3 Duke on Friday at 3:00 p.m.

Schedule for Friday, April 20
#1 Virginia vs. #8 Miami - 9:00 a.m.
#4 Wake Forest vs. #5 Clemson - 9:00 a.m.
#2 North Carolina vs. #10 seed Virginia Tech - 12:00 p.m.
#3 Duke vs. #6 seed Florida State - 3:00 p.m.