North Carolina State University Athletics
Best Year Ever?
5/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 11, 2011
RALEIGH, N.C. - A week ago, NC State's 25th-ranked women's tennis team gathered to watch an online stream of the selection special for the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The group waited patiently through the first half of the bracket, before an eruption of cheers interrupted the announcement one syllable into the word "Wolfpack" as the team's opportunity came into focus: a trip to Charlottesville, Va. to take on a region comprised of VCU, Virginia, and Army.
The scene felt miles different from 2010, when the bracket announcement came and went without mentioning the then 45th-ranked Pack. For this season's squad, ranked higher than ever before, seeded higher than ever before, and within striking distance of the claiming the best record in school history, the bracket reveal represented a mere formality. The true challenge, inching closer by the day, begins this weekend as NC State aims for uncharted territory deep in the tournament, and the possibility of the best finish in program history.
"[The ranking] has been a reward for the work they've put in this year, something concrete that they can put their minds around," said NC State head coach Hans Olsen. "We started out at No. 45, right now we're at No. 25, that's something that's measurable. It means a lot to be ranked that highly this late in the year, as opposed to being there early on, and judged for what you've accomplished in the past."
Sanaa Bhambri's arrival and immediate success in the fall signaled the possibility of a banner year. Bhambri, from New Dehli, instantly made a splash at the UVa Fall Invitational, posting a runner-up finish in the A Singles Draw, and finding a connection with Sandhya Nagaraj, as the pair opened with four-straight victories to take the A Doubles crown.
In the spring, Bhambri and Nagaraj opened as the seventh-ranked doubles tandem in the nation, and fell no lower than 30th-nationally at any point in the entire season. The pair has climbed into 18th heading into the postseason, securing a spot in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships beginning May 25 in Palo Alto, Calif.
Bhambri also qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the 25th-ranked single, the first singles berth for an NC State athlete since 1995. In her lone year with the Pack, the senior earned All-ACC accolades, an ACC Player of the Week mention, and defeated Danielle Lao of USC, the 10th-ranked player in the nation.
"As a coaching staff, we didn't know that she would be a definitive number one for us, ranked, and qualifying for the NCAA tournament, but I knew she was capable of that," said Olsen. "This season has really been her first experience in this kind of team format, and she's adapted to the concept really well.
"She was much more independent early on, so we tried to get her to show energy and fire up, create more team momentum. About halfway through the spring she really gave it a shot, and now it's become more second nature to her. But, it was a completely new thing for her, showing emotion on the tennis court, and I think that's meant a great deal to her success."
A host of other newcomers share responsibility for the Wolfpack's success this season. Freshmen Joelle Kissell, Christy Sipes, and Tanvi Shah have each made an impact by tallying a winning record over a combined 22 ACC singles matches.
Kissell made a mark on the doubles court, as well, teaming with South Carolina-transfer Ashley Miller to submit a 7-2 ACC record in the number three spot over the final month and a half.
"We've spent a lot of time trying different combinations, finding out what works. It's challenging, especially having as many options as we have, to find the right blend that results in wins," said Olsen. "What's always been good with Ashley and Joelle is the way they support each other. They play aggressively, and aren't afraid to make a mistake here or there, because they know that they have total support for one another."
Despite having a road win over 12th-ranked Florida State, and a home victory against then 25th-ranked VCU on their resume, the Pack's signature moment this season came in a loss. On April 22, in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, NC State went toe-to-toe with top-seeded Duke in a match that Olsen thinks will provide the spark that could result in a deep tournament run.
"I've gotten more calls and more people talking to me about that match, which ended up being a loss, than some of our really good wins," said Olsen. "Between the stage that that match was on, and the crowd that was there, that day gave us a great indication of this team's potential."
The eighth-seeded Pack steamrolled the Blue Devils for the doubles point, led by an 8-0 victory at number two from Slovakian duo Tatiana Illova and Lenka Hojckova, but dropped the next three singles matches to fall into a 3-1 hole.
In a desparate situation, NC State fought back, denying Duke the clinching point at every turn. Bhambri's match wrapped up first, with the senior taking a 6-1 third set to cut the Duke lead to 3-2. Nagaraj answered shortly with a 6-1 third set of her own to even the score at 3-3.
Illova, playing against the 18th-ranked single in the nation, Reka Zsilinszka, won a second-set tiebreaker to even her match at one set each, leaving the quarterfinal's outcome to the deciding third set. Illova fell behind, but eventually trimmed her deficit to 4-3. Zsilinszka held her ground far off the baseline, repelling Illova's overheads with gentle lobs back to the middle of the court, forcing Illova to try for winners. The strategy paid off in the end, as Duke wrapped up the match with Zsilinszka's 6-3 win in the final set.
"We had about 20 or 25 people there in attendance, and it was heartbreaking, losing the deciding set like that, right at the end," said Olsen. "But about ten minutes after the match was over, the girls huddled around [Illova], and the crowd stood up and gave a round of applause to the team just for the effort. Hopefully that was a turning point for us and it'll keep us hungry heading into the tournament."
This season opened on September 17 with the Wolfpack's first fall event in Charlottesville, Va. The nine women on Olsen's roster have battled through an entire school year of competition, improving, learning, and preparing. Though students wrap up their final exams this week and soon head home for summer break, Pack tennis remains on campus, focused on this weekend's challenge, one that could mean laying claim to the best year ever.
Live stats for NC State's opening round match against VCU are available on the schedule tab, or by clicking HERE. The Wolfpack's NCAA Tournament journey begins Saturday, May 14 at 9 a.m. ET. With a win, the Pack will move on to face either Virginia or Army in the region final Sunday, May 15 at 1 p.m. ET.
• By Cavan Fosnes, fosnesncsu@gmail.com
