After knocking off Boston College and No. 51 Maryland this past weekend, the No. 20 men’s tennis team (18-5, 3-3 ACC) will play host to undefeated ACC-rival No. 5 UNC-CH (17-0, 5-0) at the Dail Outdoor Tennis Stadium today at 2 p.m.
Despite starting conference play 0-2, the team has rebounded over the past couple ACC matches and is looking to stretch its conference winning streak to three against an undefeated UNC-CH team that is “not bad,” according to coach Jon Choboy.
“I don’t think the fact that they’re undefeated or in the top 10 [nationally] makes any difference to us at all — somebody is going to beat them at some point,” Choboy said. “And there is no reason it can’t be us.”
Coming off wins against No. 27 Florida State and No. 35 Miami, as well as being in second place in the ACC standings, UNC-CH is considered a pivotal conference match-up that is nothing shy of a rivalry, according to Choboy.
“In all the ACC matches you just have to be ready to play. I don’t consider this just another ACC match,” Choboy said. “We’re the only two state schools here in the ACC. We’re natural rivals in that way, and to say it’s just another match isn’t really correct.” Senior William reiterated that the rivalry match is something to get excited about, especially for seniors.
“We definitely get up a little more just because it’s a tradition,” Noblitt said. “I know I’ll be pumped up a little more because I’m a senior. It’s my last year, and we haven’t beaten them the previous three years — I’m going to be ready.”
According to Choboy, developing a team strategy is not necessary, but instead the team will concentrate on making its shots, and the match will come down to competing hard.
“Really, in order to win, it just comes down to competing — the team that beats Carolina is going to be the team that out-competes them, not the team that’s more talented than them,” Choboy said. “We just have to compete, hard.”
But as far as preparation is concerned for the Pack, facing an in-conference rival and nationally-ranked top-10 team has no effect on how the team is approaching this important match, according to Noblitt.
“We don’t really change how we practice or prepare. We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing all year, and we’ll be all right,” Noblitt said. “I’m pretty confident. I feel like this year is definitely the year.”
Senior Andre Iriarte said not being tentative, but instead confident, is the key to preparing for UNC-CH.
“You always have to be confident no matter who you play,” Iriarte said. “You always have to believe in yourself and your performance out there.”
Boasting the program’s highest-ever ranking, as well as a .500 record in the ACC, the Pack is in one of its best positions in recent years to defeat the Tar Heels for the first time since 1988. State trails 51-5 in the all-time series against UNC-CH.
“They think they’re just going to come in here and just roll over us; they’re going to try and establish that right off the bat,” Choboy said. “They’re soon going to find out that’s not going to happen. Once they realize they are in a real fight for their life, then we’ll see how they really play tennis.”
