The N.C. State women’s tennis team endured a crushing 5-2 loss against the Virginia Tech Hokies Sunday afternoon at the J.W Isenhour Tennis Center.
The loss at the Isenhour indoor facility ended the Wolfpack’s 11-game winning streak that dated back to last year. This was also the first loss for the Wolfpack after winning the doubles point this season.
“I think we had a couple of courts where we really brought a lot of pressure and good competitive intensity,” head coach Hans Olsen said. “But we’ve got some courts to improve on.”
“They were not missing any desire, motivation or fight. There were a couple of performances that we’ve got to make some improvements on to try to put pressure on six courts of singles.”
Doubles play began with an 8-2 loss by State’s No. 1 doubles team of junior Elisha Hande and junior Nicole Martinez to Virginia Tech’s No. 1 team with sophomore Ilinca Stoica and sophomore Kelly Williford.
But N.C. State (7-6, 1-5 ACC) bounced back as No. 2 team junior Sophie Nelson and senior Joelle Kissell defeated their opponents, 8-6. The Pack outlasted the Hokies (10-7) to scrape by with the doubles point when the Wolfpack’s No. 3 team of freshman Liza Fieldsend and sophomore Rachael James-Baker dominated with an 8-2 victory.
After sliding by in doubles, N.C. State hit a brick wall in singles play.
Williford avenged her loss at No. 1 doubles, beating Martinez at No. 3 singles, 6-0, 6-2. Fieldsend was next off the court with a 6-1, 6-4 loss at No. 4 singles to the Hokies’ sophomore Raluca Mita.
James-Baker was then defeated at the No. 2 slot by freshman Francesca Fusinato 6-1, 6-4. Virginia Tech clinched the match after State’s freshman Natalia Janowicz was defeated by freshman Sansitha Nandakumar 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot.
Hande dominated her opponent early at the No. 6 spot, winning the first set, 6-2. But the tables turned in the second set, as the Hokies’ junior Carol Kahoun delivered a shocking comeback, winning the second set, 6-4, and taking the third set tiebreak by a score of 10-4.
The showdown matchup was at the No. 1 singles court between Kissell and Stoica. Stoica, ranked No. 66 in the nation, won the first set 7-5, frustrating Kissell with well-placed shots to the corners.
But Kissell did not let up. After a slow start in the second set, Kissell bounced back and won the set 6-4 by hitting powerful serves and swiftly moving around the court, answering every shot Stoica hit her way.
“She had a killer forehand,” Kissell said. “Anytime I went there, I was on the defense, so I had to really work a point to get it to her backhand so that I could take more offensive opportunities.”
In the third set, Stoica battled a lower back injury. After a series of close games between the two, Kissell came out with the win, taking the third set, 6-4.
“Every time you step on a tennis court it can go either way,” Kissell said. “Ranked or not ranked, you have to be ready to play, especially in the ACC.”
Kissell is on a path to making school history. With Sunday’s win, Kissell passed former Wolfpacker Julia Roach with 57 career victories in singles. The senior is now second on the all-time victories list and is only a few wins away from passing the all-time leader, Jenny Sell, who holds the school record of 59 career singles wins.
The Wolfpack’s next matchup will be against Wake Forest Friday at the Jacqueline Dail Outdoor Tennis Stadium.
