NC State
#22 Tennessee
Wolfpack Women's Tennis Punches Ticket to Third-Straight NCAA Sweet 16
5/8/2022 6:03:00 PM | Women's Tennis
RALEIGH – Sixth-ranked NC State women's tennis is headed to the NCAA Championships Round of 16 for the third time in a row after beating visiting Tennessee by a 4-1 score on Sunday afternoon.
The Wolfpack improves to 25-5 on the year, with its 25 wins this campaign marking a single-season program record. NC State went 4-0 in singles action despite dropping the doubles point to secure the victory.
The Wolfpack struck in singles play with Amelia Rajecki cruising to the 6-1, 6-2 win over Esther Adeshina on court five. Rajecki won the final four games of the second set to claim her win and tie the team score at one.
Sophie Abrams also got the job done in straight sets with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Eleonora Molinaro to put NC State in front where it stayed for the rest of the match.
On court four, Nell Miller gutted out a three-setter in a tremendous come-from-behind effort. The Wolfpack senior dropped her first set 6-3 but dominated the final two frames for the 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 decision over Daria Kuczer.
Eleventh-ranked Jaeda Daniel put the final touch on the victory, preventing her match from going into a third frame. She fought off a couple of match points by No. 29 Rebeka Mertena for the 6-3, 7-6 (10) ranked win and the clinch.
NC State stared up at a deficit after doubles for just the third time this season and for the first time since March 8. Prior to Sunday's match, the Wolfpack had won the doubles point in 13 straight matches, but Tennessee got wins on the top two courts to take the early lead in the team score.
Priska Nugroho and Abrams were the first to secure a win, going up a break at 5-4 and ultimately serving the match out for a 6-4 win over Kuczer and Molinaro.
That was the only match NC State would win in a tightly-contest point that came down to a tiebreaker on the last court. Top-ranked Daniel and Miller fell for the first time in seven matches, and 24th-ranked Rajecki and Abigail Rencheli dropped a tight 7-6 (7) tiebreaker despite fighting off multiple previous match point opportunities for the Vols.
The Wolfpack was unphased, however, and rallied off four unanswered singles victories, including coming back from a set down on a pair of courts.
NC State advances to Super Regional action and has once again earned the right to host what will be its final home match of the 2022 campaign. The Wolfpack will take on visiting Cal on Saturday, May 14 at 3 p.m. with a berth to the final NCAA Championships site on the line.
RESULTS:
#6 NC State 4, #22 Tennessee 1
Doubles Results
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
1. #41 Rebeka Mertena/Esther Adeshina (UT) def. #1 Jaeda Daniel/Nell Miller (NCSU) 6-3
2. Elza Tomase/Tenika McGiffin (UT) def. #24 Amelia Rajecki/Abigail Rencheli (NCSU) 7-6 (7)
3. Sophie Abrams/Priska Nugroho (NCSU) def. Daria Kuczer/Eleonora Molinaro (UT) 6-4
Singles Results
Order of finish: 5, 6, 4, 1
1. #11 Jaeda Daniel (NCSU) def. #29 Rebeka Mertena (UT) 6-3, 7-6 (10)
2. #48 Abigail Rencheli (NCSU) vs. #73 Tenika McGiffin (UT) 2-6, 6-4, 3-4, unfinished
3. #83 Priska Nugroho (NCSU) vs. Elza Tomase (UT) 5-7, 6-6
4. Nell Miller (NCSU) def. Daria Kuczer (UT) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Amelia Rajecki (NCSU) def. Esther Adeshina (UT) 6-1, 6-2
6. Sophie Abrams (NCSU) def. Eleonora Molinaro (UT) 7-5, 7-5
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Players Mentioned
