NC State
Northwestern
Pack Takes Down #20 Wildcats, 4-2
3/21/2022 6:56:00 PM | Men's Tennis
RALEIGH - The NC State men's tennis team charted a top-20 win on Monday, defeating No. 20 Northwestern in a 4-2 decision.
The win is the Pack's third over a top-25 opponent this season.
DOUBLES RECAP
In the early portions of the contest, Northwestern struck first to claim the initial edge.
On court three, the pair of Trice Pickens and Natan Spear defeated Collin Shick and Yannai Barkai, 6-0. A 6-4 decision favoring Simen Bratholm and Brian Berdusco over NC State's 15th-ranked Martins Rocens and Fons Van Sambeek on court two resulted in the 1-0 team score lead for the Wildcats.
SINGLES RECAP
After dropping the doubles point, the Wolfpack responded by rattling off three-straight singles wins.
Rocens tied the overall match score with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Thieneman. The junior used critical breakpoints in both sets to propel him to victory.
Luca Staeheli gave NC State the lead with a win over Bratholm, 6-4, 6-1. After winning the first set on a break, Staeheli cruised in the second set.
Following right behind Staeheli was Damien Salvestre, who secured the third team point in a row with a 6-0, 6-4 defeat of Berdusco. After blanking his opponent in the first set, Salvestre carried the momentum into the second set with two breaks in his victory.
Northwestern answered with a 6-2, 6-3 win by #67 Steven Forman against Rafa Izquierdo Luque on court one.
Freshman Van Sambeek was clinched the match for the Wolfpack with the deciding 6-4, 7-6(2) outcome versus Felix Nordby. The Veldhoven, Netherlands, native tallied five straight points in the tiebreaker to clinch the 4-2 final team score.
STRAIGHT FROM THE PACK: HEAD COACH KYLE SPENCER
"Happy for the guys to get a good win at home in front of Wolfpack Nation!" said head coach Kyle Spencer. "Not the performance we're used to in doubles, but I thought we played with determination, focus and joy in singles. It's a busy week, but we are excited for every challenge and are looking forward to Wednesday vs. South Carolina."
UP NEXT
The Wolfpack returns to action at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center to take on seventh-ranked South Carolina Wednesday, March 23 at 3 p.m.
RESULTS
NC State 4, #20 Northwestern 2
Doubles
Order of finish: (3,2)
1. Felix Nordby/Steven Forman (NU) vs. #25 Robin Catry/Luca Staeheli (ST) 5-5, unfinished
2. Simen Bratholm/Brian Berdusco (NU) def. #15 Martins Rocens/Fons Van Sambeek (ST) 6-4
3. Trice Pickens/Natan Spear (NU) def. Collin Shick/Yannai Barkai (ST) 6-0
Singles
Order of finish: (4,2,5,1,6)
1. #67 Steven Forman (NU) def. Rafa Izquierdo Luque (ST) 6-2, 6-3
2. Luca Staeheli (ST) def. Simen Bratholm (NU) 6-4, 6-1
3. #100 Trice Pickens (NU) vs. #88 Robin Catry (ST) 5-7, 6-3, 1-1
4. Martins Rocens (ST) def. Presley Thieneman (NU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Damien Salvestre (ST) def. Brian Berdusco (NU) 6-0, 6-4
6. Fons Van Sambeek (ST) def. Felix Nordby (NU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-2)
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Players Mentioned
