North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State to Take On ECU, UNCG on Tuesday
2/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
RALEIGH, N.C. - The Wolfpack will host its third multiple match day of the season on Tuesday, Feb. 13, welcoming East Carolina and UNC Greenbsoro onto the NC State campus. The Pack will take on the Pirates at 1 p.m., before battling the Spartans at 5:30 p.m. ECU arrives at 3-3 on the young seaon, while UNCG comes in at 2-2. NC State is 34-6 all-time against East Carolina, while holding a 9-1 advantage over UNCG.
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.
DOUBLES POINT IS THE KEY: Although the Pack has only surrendered points in three of its six matches, the doubles point has been a critical part of the team’s success. NC State has won doubles all six times so far this season. Nick Cavaday and Ben Zink lead all Pack combos with a perfect 5-0 record at No. 1.
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: NC State is 1-0 against ranked teams so far this season after downing No. 64 Penn, 7-0. Last season the team went 6-17 against ranked competition.
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 6-0 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.
SOLID AT THE BOTTOM: NC State is cruising through play at the bottom-half of its lineup. Six contests into the season, the Pack has dropped matches just twice in the bottom three spots of the order. Andre Iriarte has won five matches at the No. 4 and No. 5 spots combined.
OUT OF CONFERENCE: NC State is currently 6-0 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 4-1 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 3-0 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.
Virginia No. 4
Miami No. 11
Duke No. 12
Florida State No. 14
North Carolina No. 22
Clemson No. 24
Wake Forest No. 26
Georgia Tech No. 28
NC State No. 38
Virginia Tech No. 51
Maryland No. 70
STRAIGHT TO THE POINT: Of the Pack’s 33 singles wins this season, 27 (81.8%) have come in straight sets. Three Pack netters currently boast four quick decisions.
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.
