The No. 2 NC State women’s tennis team suffered just its second loss of the season as the team hosted No. 14 Duke in an intense match. After the Pack gained a 3-1 lead, the Blue Devils completed a determined comeback that took down NC State 4-3.
The Wolfpack, now 19-2, took its first ACC loss of the season, interrupting NC State’s seven-match unbeaten start to conference play. The Wolfpack was able to gain the clinch position due to its usual doubles domination, as well as solid singles wins, but the Pack could not finish off the Devils during crucial points late in the remaining matches.
“Yeah, I mean it’s obviously very disappointing,” said head coach Simon Earnshaw. “First of all I thought we started out pretty well in doubles, but it’s nothing different. Built ourselves a decent lead. I think the problem was we didn’t really give ourselves enough of a lead.”
The Wolfpack earned an early lead in the doubles round. Freshman Priska Nugroho and sophomore Sophie Abrams took the first match 6-2, while graduate student Jaeda Daniel and senior Nell Miller took court one 6-3 to take a 1-0 lead.
In the singles round, the Pack quickly added to its lead as sophomore Amelia Rajecki won in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-2 on court six. However, the Blue Devils responded by taking court one from Daniel, as the Pack still led 2-1.
NC State was able to increase its lead with Nugroho’s 6-2, 6-4 win on court three. While the freshman was able to put the Pack in clinch position, the Blue Devils won all three remaining courts in third set grudge matches, two of which included third-set tiebreakers to end the Pack’s nine-match win streak.
The three remaining courts went into intense, hard-fought play that came from both sides, but the Devils managed to win each in quick succession after a large break in any scoring changes. Sophomore Abigail Rencheli was first to fall on court two after splitting her first two sets and battling through a back-and-forth third set that led to a tiebreak. Abrams also fell in a similar match that went to a third set tiebreak, shortly after Miller fell in a tight third set to end the day for the Pack.
“I mean, we just didn’t quite have the composure or the ability to control our emotions and you know, credit to Duke,” said Earnshaw. “I mean, I knew coming off last weekend, where they really struggled, that this was going to be what had to be a response from them.”
As the Wolfpack takes only its second loss of the season, this defeat will hardly be damaging to the Wolfpack’s overall standing as one of the best teams in college tennis. However, NC State will have possibly an even harder challenge in its next match against the No. 1 UNC Tar Heels. While UNC will give the Pack another fight, NC State will have the ultimate chance to rebound if the squad was to take down the best team in the nation.
“They’re the best team,” said Earnshaw. “They’ve been just clocking everybody as it’s been going through. You know, we’ve got to be better and I’ve been saying that for a few weeks now.”
The Tar Heels come to Raleigh on Sunday, April 3, as the Pack have a rematch with its cross-town rivals. First serve is set for 2 p.m.
