After losing eight matches this season by one point, the eighth-seeded Wolfpack rallied for a 4-3 victory over ninth-seeded Georgia Tech on Thursday in the first round of the ACC Championships in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The Pack (12-13) will face top-seeded Virginia at 9 p.m. today.

Sophomore James McGee clinched the match for NCSU at No. 1 singles with a 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4 win over Guillermo Gomez. In the third set, McGee was broken early and trailed 4-3. After getting back on serve, McGee then broke for a 5-4 lead and served for the match. An ace sealed the victory, and McGee's teammates mobbed him at the net.

"We played really well, even after getting off to a slow start in doubles, and I think they felt a little bit of pressure," N.C. State coach Jon Choboy said.

Also Thursday, sixth-seeded Duke (10-12) blanked 11th-seeded Boston College (8-17) 4-0 and will face third-seeded Florida State at 3 p.m. today.

MORE MEN'S TENNIS

ACC HONORS: Three players for North Carolina were among the 19 named to the All-ACC team, announced Thursday.

The Tar Heels' Clay Donato, Stefan Hardy and Chris Kearney made the squad. Also making the team were Duke's David Goulet and Reid Carleton, N.C. State's James McGee and Jay Weinacker, and Wake Forest's Cory Parr and Steven Forman.

WOMEN'S TENNIS

ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS: N.C. State and North Carolina advanced with first-round victories Thursday in Altamonte Springs, Fla.

The eighth-seeded Wolfpack (13-9) eked out a 4-3 victory over ninth-seeded Wake Forest (8-13), while the fifth-seeded Tar Heels (17-7) rolled to a 4-0 victory over 12th-seeded Maryland (3-18).

North Carolina earned wins at the top two doubles positions and the top three singles spots to earn a meeting with fourth-seeded Clemson at 9 a.m. today.

N.C. State will face top-seeded Georgia Tech at 9 a.m. today.

ACC HONORS: Ellah Nze of Duke was named the freshman of the year, and teammates Amanda Granson and Reka Zsilinkszka were named to the All-ACC team announced Thursday.

North Carolina's Sanaz Marand and Katrina Tsang were also named to the All-ACC team.

USA SOUTH HONORS: Meredith's Morgan Martin was named to the USA South first team Thursday, and teammates Kathryn Maples and Meredith Roberson were named to the second team.

Meredith's Amanda Bitler earned honorable mention, as did Peace's Lauren Marion.

ECU WINS IN CUSA TOURNAMENT: East Carolina overcame a doubles point loss with four singles wins to advance to its third quarterfinal appearance in four years in the Conference USA tournament after recording a 4-2 victory over UAB on Thursday in Houston.

The eighth-seeded Pirates (17-5) will face top-seeded Tulsa at 11 a.m. today.

TRACK AND FIELD

ACC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS: With three events completed on Thursday, the North Carolina men's team is in first place at the Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Atlanta.

The Tar Heels, thanks to two first-place finishes, hold a slight edge over N.C. State, 26-19. Duke, with 17 points, is in third place.

North Carolina, which won its last men's outdoor team title in 1999, jumped out to an early lead behind freshman Walter Henning, who took top honors in the hammer throw. UNC freshman Brian Moore then outdueled Duke's John Austin for the individual title in the javelin. UNC's Erek Latzka was fourth.

Virginia Tech leads the women's competition with 52 points after four events.

LACROSSE

TEWAARATON TROPHY FINALISTS: Three Duke men's players were named finalists Thursday for the Tewaaraton Trophy, including 2007 winner Matt Danowski.

The Blue Devils' Nick O'Hara and Zack Greer are also among the 22 finalists for the award, given to the top lacrosse player in the country. Among the 18 finalists for the women's award were Amber Falcone of North Carolina and Carolyn Davis of Duke.

SOFTBALL

CIAA TOURNAMENT: After losing their opening games, Shaw (6-16) and St. Augustine's (6-20) each earned a win in the losers' bracket Thursday and stayed alive in the tournament in Petersburg, Va.

Shaw downed Virginia Union 16-6, while St. Augustine's won a thriller against Elizabeth City State, 14-13. Both teams play at 10 a.m. today, with Shaw facing Johnson C. Smith and St. Aug's playing Fayetteville State.

(From College News Releases)

FOOTBALL

ACCUSED WORKER SAYS RODRIGUEZ OFFERED JOB ASSISTANCE: Ex-West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez said he would find a job at Michigan for a WVU athletic fundraiser being investigated over an alleged racist remark, according to a sworn affidavit obtained by The Associated Press.

Larry Aschebrook confronted Rodriguez and former assistant coach Calvin Magee after being informed of a WVU investigation into Magee's accusation. Aschebrook has denied making any such remark. Magee's agent Mike Brown said Aschebrook told Magee, who is black, that he wouldn't have a chance at Rodriguez's former job because of his skin color.

(The Associated Press)

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