Wolfpack's Doubles Success Not Enough to Hold Off Arizona State in NCAA Regional

Friday, May 13

Auburn, Ala.

12 PM

NC State

Arizona State [First Round]

Wolfpack's Doubles Success Not Enough to Hold Off Arizona State in NCAA Regional

5/13/2016 4:24:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Pack duo defeated Pac-12 Doubles Champion in No. 35 NC State's 4-1 loss to No. 23 Arizona State Friday

AUBURN, Ala. – No. 35 NC State's 2016 season came to a close Friday afternoon as it fell 4-1 to No. 23 Arizona State in the first round of play at the NCAA Regional in Auburn, Ala. The Wolfpack conquered in doubles play, capturing the decision with the first two finishes at the top of the lineup, but its partner power wasn't enough to hold off the Sun Devils' level of experience as it fell in singles action.

The Wolfpack finishes its season 15-12 while Arizona State improves 18-5 and advances to the second round of tournament play.

Martina Frantova and Tayla Stenta posted a career best Friday afternoon when the duo defeated Pac-12 Doubles Champion No. 15 Ebony Panoho and Alexandra Osborne 6-3. The 15th-ranked pair registers as the highest nationally-ranked opponent Frantova and Stenta claimed victory over this season. Not far behind, Bianca Moldovan and Joanna Nalborska clinched the doubles point for the Wolfpack with a 6-4 win over Desirae Krawczyk and Stephanie Vlad.

As NC State captured the doubles point, the doubles loss for Arizona State marked only its fourth out of all 23 of its matches this season. The No. 35 Pack joins No. 2 California, No. 4 Ohio State and No. 30 Northwestern on a short list of doubles victors opposite the Sun Devils in 2016.

This season the Red and White succeeded in doubles action in each of its postseason matchups, including its first and second round bouts against Louisville and Syracuse at the ACC Championship in April.

After experiencing an upset from the Pack in doubles action, the Sun Devils presented the NC State with a high level of competition in singles play. The Wolfpack was unable to collect a victory in singles, dropping the first four finishes to Arizona State.

In the final match of her collegiate career, Nalborska nabbed a 7-5 victory in the first set against No. 110 Kassidy Jump before splitting sets and ultimately falling 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 2 position. Nalborska concludes her senior dual season 14-13 in singles and 13-11 in doubles, the team's winningest record this season.

Nalborska's partner and the Pack's highest listed underclassmen in the singles lineup, Moldovan, consistently appeared at the No. 3 spot for the Wolfpack throughout her entire premiere collegiate season. Moldovan saw defeat in singles Friday afternoon, falling 7-5, 6-1 to Panoho.

Freshmen teammates Amanda Rebol and Barbara Mancera also endured straight-set losses opposite the Sun Devils as Rebol dropped 6-0, 6-4 to Sammi Hampton and Mancera fell 6-4, 7-5 to Gussie O'Sullivan. Both still managed to conclude the 2016 dual season with winning singles records, Rebol finishing 15-11 while Mancera, a recent edition to the lineup, closed the season 5-3.

SIMON SAYS:

The Wolfpack returns six of eight athletes for the 2016-17 season, beginning team tournament action in the fall. No. 45 Frantova will resume play May 25 at the NCAA Singles Championship in Tulsa, Okla. More information will be available closer to the start of the individual competition.

SINGLES RESULTS:
1. #35 Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) vs. #45 Martina Frantova (NCST) 7-6, 5-5, unfinished
2. #110 Kassidy Jump (ASU) def. Joanna Nalborska (NCST) 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
3. Ebony Panoho (ASU) def. Bianca Moldovan (NCST) 7-5, 6-1
4. Stephanie Vlad (ASU) vs. Claudia Wiktorin (NCST) 6-4, 3-6, 3-4, unfinished
5. Sammi Hampton (ASU) def. Amanda Rebol (NCST) 6-0, 6-4
6. Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) def. Barbara Mancera (NCST) 6-4, 7-5

DOUBLES RESULTS:
1. Martina Frantova/Tayla Stenta (NCST) def. #15 Ebony Panoho/Alexandra Osborne (ASU) 6-3
2. Bianca Moldovan/Joanna Nalborska (NCST) def. Desirae Krawczyk/Stephanie Vlad (ASU) 6-4
3. Kassidy Jump/Sammi Hampton (ASU) vs. Amanda Rebol/Claudia Wiktorin (NCST) 5-4, unfinished

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