North Carolina State University Athletics
M. Tennis Drops Clemson on Senior Day, 6-1
3/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
No. 53 NC State men's tennis team improved to 12-8 overall and 4-2 in the ACC with a win over league rival No. 54 Clemson (13-14, 1-6 {ACC}), 6-1, on Sunday at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center. Nick Cavaday won in singles and doubles in his final home match with the Red and White, as the team honored him and two other seniors, David Rozek and Daniel Schinke.
"These seniors have meant a lot to this program," head coach Jon Choboy said. "Daniel has been with us for three semesters, but Nick and David came on board four years ago when we were building this program. The last two classes have brought this program to a level that matches our past accomlishments and has accomplished things that NC State has never done before in tennis. They are special in that regard that they helped build the program and to take it to where we are now. It says a lot about these kids and their unselfishness, character and integrity."
The win marked the seventh season that the Pack has won four or more ACC matches, and first time in back-to-back seasons since reaching that mark in four straight years from 1978-81. The Wolfpack won a pair of ACC Championships during that four-year stretch under former coach and building namesake, J.W. Isenhour. It also marked the second time in the last three seasons that the Pack defeated Clemson, after winning only six times in the previous 50 matches in program history.
NC State jumped out to a quick lead with strong play from the top-two doubles tandems. James McGee and Christian Welte won at No. 2, 8-2, after getting out of the gate early and never letting the Tigers' duo back in the match.
Cavaday and Jay Weinacker, ranked No. 9 nationally by the ITA, easily defeated Alvarez/Fleck, 8-3, to clinch the team point for doubles.
The lead would quickly swell to 3-0, with a pair of straight set triumphs from Welte and McGee. Welte won 10 of the first 11 games of his match, then held off Ike Belk at No. 4 singles for the 6-1, 6-4 win.
McGee, ranked No. 70 in the country, improved to 6-0 in the ACC at No. 1 singles with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Carlos Alvarez.
Weinacker would clinch the match about an hour later in a three-set battle after being down a set to start, 6-4. Weinacker would rally to win the final two sets, 6-4, 6-4, to seal the team match point.
Cavaday breezed through an easy first set, 6-2, before dropping the second frame. In the second set, Cavaday broke for a 4-4 tie, but then was broken and lost the second set, 6-4. He led 4-3 in the final set before securing a late break for a 5-3 lead. He would close it out moments later to win his final home match of his career.
David Chermak would fall at No. 6 in a third-set tiebreak, 11-9, after taking the first set, 6-1. He lost the second, 6-2.
Derek Stephens finished last at No. 5 for the final margin, posting a 6-1, 7-6 (3), win. He is now 6-0 in his first ACC season with the Pack after transferring from Tennessee.
DOUBLES
No. 1 - #9 Cavaday/Weinacker (NCSU) def. Alvarez/Fleck (CU) - 8-3
No. 2 - McGee/Welte (NCSU) def. Belk/DiFazio (CU) - 8-2
No. 3 - Boryachinskiy/Galloway (CU) def. Chermak/Stephens (NCSU) - 8-6
Order of finish: 2,1,3
SINGLES
No. 1 - #70 James McGee (NCSU) def. Carlos Alvarez (CU) - 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 - Nick Cavaday (NCSU) def. Gera Boryachinskiy (CU) - 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
No. 3 - Jay Weinacker (NCSU) def. Kevin Fleck (CU) - 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 - Christian Welte (NCSU) def. Ike Belk (CU) - 6-1, 6-4
No. 5 - Derek Stephens (NCSU) def. Kevin Galloway (CU) - 6-1, 7-6 (3)
No. 6 - Derek DiFazio (CU) def. David Chermak (NCSU) - 1-6, 6-2, 1-0 (11-9)
Order of finish: 4,1,3*,2,6,5
* Clinched the match
