NC State
Northwestern
#8 Wolfpack Falls 4-3 to Northwestern in ITA Kick-Off Opener
1/24/2021 9:19:00 PM | Women's Tennis
RALEIGH – The eighth-ranked NC State women's tennis team (1-1) narrowly fell to Northwestern (1-0) in its ITA Kick-Off Weekend opener in a 4-3 match that came down to the final singles court.
With her team trailing 3-2, Wolfpack senior Lexi Keberle went up a set over Caroline Pozo and did not look back in the second set on her way to a 7-5, 6-2 victory to tie the team score at three.
Northwestern clinched the win on court six, however, as Christina Hand defeated NC State freshman Amelia Rajecki 6-4, 6-2.
After the teams split the first four singles courts on in the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center, Northwestern had control of a 3-2 lead after also claiming the doubles point. The Wildcats extended their lead to two as Clarissa Hand defeated Jaeda Daniel 6-0, 6-1 on court three.
No. 35 Anna Rogers put up NC State's first team point of the night, taking down Maria Shusharina 7-5, 6-2.
No. 23 Alana Smith tied the team score up at two after toughing out a 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 57 Julie Byrne.
Soon after, Briana Crowley defeated No. 38 Adriana Reami 6-4, 6-4 to put Northwestern a point away from clinching. The Wildcats needed just one decision between the final two matches, which they picked up on court six.
NC State stared up at the early deficit after dropping the opening point. The Pack went up 2-1 early on courts one and two, but the Wildcats claimed the first doubles win on court three as Christina Hand and Crowley defeated Rajecki and Lana Mavor 6-1.
It was only minutes before NC State's 16th-ranked Daniel and Reami got the 6-2 win over Clarissa Hand and Shusharina on court two.
The decision came down to the top court, where second-ranked Rogers and Smith had a 5-3 lead over No. 47 Julie Byrne and Hannah McColgan. The Wildcats knotted up the match, and it went into a back-and-forth tiebreaker battle where Byrne and McColgan ended up with the narrow 7-6 (9) win.
The Wolfpack returns to action for its final match of ITA Kick-Off Weekend on Monday as it takes on 18th-ranked UCF in the consolation match. First serve is set for 10 a.m. from the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center.
RESULTS:
#8 NC State 3, Northwestern 4
Doubles Results
Order of finish: (3, 2, 1)
1. #47 Julie Byrne/Hannah McColgan (Northwestern) def. #2 Anna Rogers/Alana Smith (NC State) 7-6 (9)
2. #16 Jaeda Daniel/Adriana Reami (NC State) def. Clarissa Hand/Maria Shusharina (Northwestern) 6-2
3. Christina Hand/Briana Crowley (Northwestern) def. Amelia Rajecki/Lana Mavor (NC State) 6-1
Singles Results
Order of finish: (3, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6)
1. #35 Anna Rogers (NC State) def. Maria Shusharine (Northwestern) 7-5, 6-2
2. #23 Alana Smith (NC State) def. #57 Julie Byrne (Northwestern) 6-2, 6-4
3. Clarissa Hand (Northwestern) def. Jaeda Daniel (NC State) 6-0, 6-1
4. Briana Crowley (Northwestern) def. #38 Adriana Reami (NC State) 6-4, 6-4
5. Lexi Keberle (NC State) def. Caroline Pozo (Northwestern) 7-5, 6-2
6. Christina Hand (Northwestern) def. Amelia Rajecki (NC State) 6-4, 6-2
#GoPack | @PackWTennis
Players Mentioned
