North Carolina State University Athletics
No. 38 Pack Welcomes No. 64 Penn on Sunday
2/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
RALEIGH, N.C. - The No. 38 NC State men's tennis team will host No. 64 Pennsylvania on Sunday, Feb. 11 at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center on the NC State campus. Penn, a member of the Ivy league, enters the match at 1-3 after falling at No. 12 Duke on Friday. The match will mark the first meeting between the two schools. The Pack enters the match with a 5-0 record.
NO. 38 RANKING IN FILA/ITA POLL: NC State stands as the No. 38 team in the land according to the Fila / ITA Collegiate Tennis rankings released on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
CAVADAY, WEINACKER RANKED: Nick Cavaday and Jay Weinacker are both ranked in singles play to begin the season. Cavaday is ranked at No. 99, while Weinacker lands at No. 100. The two Pack netters make history for the program, marking the first time in school history that NC State has had two players ranked in singles at the same time.
PACK DROPS SEAHAWKS, EAGLES: NC State took down the UNC Wilmington Seahawks and the Winthrop Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 28, at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center. The Pack shutout UNCW, 7-0, before flying past Winthrop, 6-1.
CAVADAY EARNS PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: Nick Cavaday earned ACC Men’s Tennis Player of the Week honors on Monday, Jan. 22, for his efforts during the first weekend of the season. Cavaday won two singles bouts at No. 1 singles, as well as two matches at No. 1 doubles with partner Ben Zink. Against The Citadel, Cavaday and Zink topped the No. 20 doubles tandem in the nation, Daniel Dossetor and James Eason, blanking the pair 8-0.
NC STATE BREEZES THROUGH OPENING DAY: NC State grabbed three wins on Saturday, Jan. 20 to begin the season. The Pack took down High Point (6-1), Gardner-Webb (7-1) and The Citadel (7-0), dropping just two doubles and two singles contests in the process.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Content with “Protecting the House,” NC State will host 18 opponents at home this season, including six conference foes. So far, the Pack is 5-0 at home this season, with all wins coming indoors. Last year the red and white posted a stellar 15-2 record at home, going 11-0 inside the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Complex, 4-2 outside at the Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Outdoor Tennis Stadium and defeating three of five ranked teams.
OUT OF CONFERENCE: NC State is currently 5-0 against out of conference opponents this season. In all, the Pack will battle 14 teams outside of conference in 2007. The red and white went 17-2 against non-ACC foes last spring, downing four ranked opponents.
LET’S PLAY TWO ... OR THREE: Despite the long hours at the tennis facility, the Pack’s netters will play more than one home match on four occasions this season. NC State topped High Point, Garnder-Webb and the Citadel on Jan. 20, before taking down UNC Wilmington and Winthrop on Jan. 28. East Carolina and UNC Greensboro will both visit Raleigh on Feb. 13, while Navy and Charlotte stop in on March 3. Last year NC State went 13-0 in multiple-event day bouts.
NOTHIN’S STOPPING NOBERS: With a 20-7 record last season, William Noblitt was named first-team All-ACC for Flight 3 singles. In his final campaign as a senior, Noblitt figures to stand as on of the toughest competitors in the ACC this year. So far, Noblitt is 3-1 in singles play.
WATCH OUT FOR WEINACKER: A season ago, Jay Weinacker set a new school record for singles wins in a season with 23 as a freshmen. This year, Weinacker will look to continue his success as a sophomore, moving up the lineup and playing even tougher competition. He stands at 2-0 in singles play thus far.
THE ACC IS NO. 1: In the latest Fila Collegiate Tennis Rankings revealed by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association on February 6th, all but one of the 12 Atlantic Coast Conference teams were ranked, with six landing in the top-25. Here’s a breakdown of where the conference schools place.
McGEE OPENS EYES AT IRELAND NATIONALS: James McGee offered a phenomenal showing at Ireland’s National Indoor Championships, held Dec. 27-31. Due to his performance, McGee stands as an early favorite to be selected to Ireland’s acclaimed Davis Cup squad. McGee, who entered the tournament unseeded, won his way into the national championship match in both singles and doubles. Despite not losing a single set in his quest to reach the championship match, McGee became injured during the onset of play against second-seeded Nathan Rooney. Leading 6-5 early in the match, McGee suffered an injury that forced him to retire from play, thus handing the championship over to Rooney. In doubles, McGee played for the national title with former Wolfpack star and longtime friend Conor Taylor. The duo entered the tournament as the third-seeded pair, collecting three wins before falling in the championship bout to the second-seeded duo.
STRAIGHT TO THE POINT: Of the Pack’s 27 singles wins this season, 22 (81.4%) have come in straight sets. Three Pack netters currently boast four quick decisions.
