May 14, 2000

KNOXVILLE, TENN. - The ninth-ranked Tennessee men's tennis team (21-5) earned its first trip to the NCAA Final 16 since 1993 by defeating No. 20 North Carolina 4-2 in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday. The loss in the regional final ended a Cinderella season for Coach Sam Paul's team which improved from 11-14 last season to a final record of 18-6 in 2000. The Volunteers will face Texas A&M in the round of 16 in Athens, Ga. on May 20. Texas A&M is currently ranked fourth in the nation.

Tennessee won the doubles point and won in singles positions two, three and six to secure the victory. The Vols improved to 16-1 on the season when winning the doubles point. The No. 31-ranked tandem of Adam Carey and Mark Parsons won the Vols' first doubles match at the No. 2 slot by an 8-3 count over Assaf Drori and Greg Archer. Andy Crews and Peter Handoyo, ranked No. 35, clinched the doubles point for the Vols by defeating Tyne Brownlow and Marcio Petrone 8-3 at No. 3.

North Carolina evened the score early in the singles when freshman Trystan Meniane defeated Tate Roberts 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 5 position. It was Roberts' first match at No. 5 this season, as he had seen most of his time in the top two positions. The Vols then jumped out to a 3-1 lead with wins by Handoyo (No. 3) and Carey (No. 2). Handoyo won by a 6-3, 6-3 score over David Cheatwood, while Carey had no trouble disposing of Drori at No. 2 in straight sets 6-1, 6-0.

The Tar Heels pushed the score to 3-2 with 22nd-ranked Tripp Phillips' 6-4, 6-1 victory over 24th-ranked Mark Parsons at the top position, but they would get no closer. Fitzpatrick clinched the match for UT with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Chad Riley at the No. 6 position. The victory was Fitzpatrick*s eighth in a row. The #4 singles match between Tennessee's Paul Rodbury and UNC's Marcio Petrone was suspended.

#9 TENNESSEE 4, #20 NORTH CAROLINA 2

SINGLES
1. No. 22 Tripp Phillips (UNC) def. No. 24 Mark Parsons (UT) 6-4, 6-1
2. No. 60 Adam Carey (UT) def. Assaf Drori (UNC) 6-1, 6-0
3. No. 56 Peter Handoyo (UT) def. David Cheatwood (UNC) 6-3, 6-3
4. No. 78 Paul Podbury (UT) vs. Marcio Petrone (UNC) suspended
5. Trystan Meniane (UNC) def. Tate Roberts (UT) 6-2, 6-1
6. Mark Fitzpatrick (UT) def. Chad Riley (UNC) 6-1, 6-3

DOUBLES
1. No. 52 Fitzpatrick/Podbury (UT) vs. Cheatwood/Phillips (UNC) suspended
2. No. 31 Carey/Parsons (UT) def. Drori/Archer (UNC) 8-3
3. No. 35 Crews/Handoyo (UT) def. Brownlow/Petrone (UNC) 8-3
Records: North Carolina 18-6, Tennessee 21-5