CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The North Carolina Central University men's tennis team was handed a 7-0 road loss in its first dual match of the 2020 season, falling to fourth-ranked University of North Carolina on Saturday at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.
 
The Tar Heels, who participated in the NCAA "Final Four" last season, won every singles match in straight sets to start the season 1-0.
 
The top three Eagles all drew formidable opponents that have been nationally ranked, but they were all able to win two games against possibly their toughest opponents of the season.
 
Sophomores Thanos Spyropoulos and Christos Dagklis each battled a foe that finished last season nationally ranked by the ITA while playing in NCCU's top two positions in the lineup. Spyropoulos lost 6-1, 6-1 to senior No. 1 William Blumberg, who finished 2018-19 ranked No. 14 nationally on his way to earning ITA All-American status. Dagklis fell 6-0, 6-2 to sophomore No. 2 Brian Cernoch, who ended his rookie season ranked 88th nationally.
 
Blumberg and Cernoch are not listed in the first ITA individual rankings of 2019-20, but senior Josh Peck is ranked No. 82. Peck notched his 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 3 over senior Sebastian Bromley.
 
Junior Miles Clark had NCCU's most competitive result in his debut for the maroon and gray after transferring in from Riverside City College this spring semester. Clark eventually lost 6-2, 6-2 to junior No. 4 Mac Kiger.
 
Senior Pablo Juez Torres was swept in his first set, but bounced back for NCCU's closest set of the day in a 6-0, 6-3 loss to senior No. 5 Simon Soendergaard.
 
Senior No. 6 Ladd Harrison opened up UNC's singles scoring with a 6-0, 6-1 triumph over rookie LaQuon Gilchrist.
 
UNC only lost four games on the way to winning the opening doubles point.
 
NCCU's doubles results included Spyropoulos/Dagklis and Juez Torres/Bromley both losing 6-1 at the first and second flights, respectively. Sophomore Amit Baran and Clark had a slightly better result, 6-2, in the third slot.
 
Spyropoulos/Dagklis opened up their bid at an improbable upset against the No. 7 nationally ranked doubles team by winning the opening game, but Kiger and Soendergaard won the next six games.
 
NC Central (0-1) next visits East Carolina University for a non-conference dual in Greenville, North Carolina, on Friday, Jan. 24 at 2:30 p.m.