North Carolina State University Athletics
No. 37 Wolfpack Prepares for Duke, Va. Tech
3/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
RALEIGH, N.C.- The No. 37 NC State men's tennis team prepares for two weekend matches as it continues Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play. The team will open the weekend at No. 6 Duke on Friday at 3 p.m. before returning home on Sunday for a match against No. 16 Virginia Tech at 1 p.m.
Ranked Foes:
The Pack has knocked off three ranked singles players in its last three matches. At UNC, Simon Norenius picked up a win over No. 81 Jack Murray, and Beck Bond defeated No. 89 Oystein Steiro. Last weekend, Robbie Mudge continued the streak after earning a straight-set victory over No. 106 Albert Wagner.
Scouting Duke:
No. 6 Duke is the highest-ranked team the Pack has faced this season. No. 11 Nicolas Alvarez leads all ranked Duke players, while Jason Tahir rounds out the rankings at No. 34. In doubles, Duke is led by the 11th-ranked duo of Alvarez and Raphael Hemmeler.
Scouting Virginia Tech:
No. 16 Virginia Tech enters the weekend leading the ACC men's tennis standings with a 4-0 record. Andreas Bjerrehus is the highest-ranked Hokie, checking in at No. 40. Amerigo Contini and Joao Monteiro round out the rankings at No. 55 and No. 98, respectively. In doubles, Bjerrehus and Contini are ranked 64th.
Coaches Comments:
On close matches:
"We are not only going 4-3 in matches, but we are giving up the lead. That is an area that we can improve and control." - Head Coach Jon Choboy
On this weekend:
"The guys have to be ready to go out there and compete. All of the teams have similar groups from last year, so there is a familiarity, but you cant read into it too much from year to year, because everyone progresses differently. These are two good opportunities and we are looking forward to it."
Pack in the Polls:
NC State remains at No. 37 in the latest ITA rankings. In singles, Austin Powell checks in at No. 72, while Ian Dempster andMudge are ranked 17th in doubles.
Record Watch:
Powell has collected 84 career singles victories to occupy fifth place, while Mudge is in a three-way tie for fifth with 75 singles wins. Powell is two wins from moving up a spot on the list, while Mudge could break the tie with one win.
Last Time Out:
NC State dropped a hard-fought match to No. 28 Louisville, 4-3. Dempster picked up his fourth straight win, while Mudge and Bond also won their singles matches for the Pack.
