The No. 3 Pack women’s tennis team narrowly lost 4-3 to the No. 14 Virginia Cavaliers in the team’s fourth loss of the season.
Now 20-4 on the season, the Pack is also 9-4 against ranked opponents, with three losses coming within the last four matches. Despite the losses as of late, the squad still has played like a top team in the nation, as it continued its dominant doubles play, but fell just short of victory in the singles round in Charlottesville.
The Pack opened as usual with an excellent showing in doubles that started off with graduate student Jaeda Daniel and senior Nell Miller taking out the No. 17 ranked doubles duo 6-3 on court one. Despite Virginia taking victory on court three, the No. 26 pairing of sophomores Amelia Rajecki and Abigail Rencheli emerged victorious 6-4 to put the Pack up 1-0.
To start the singles round, Virginia was able to take three wins, all in straight sets to put the Cavaliers into clinch position. Sophomore Sophie Abrams was defeated on court five while No. 33 Rencheli was beaten by her Cavalier opponent on court two. No. 12 Daniel faced off against the No. 5 singles player in the country, Emma Navarro, but fell in straight sets as well.
The Pack did not give up as the Cavaliers threatened to clinch, however. Rajecki won in straight sets on court four 6-1, 6-4, giving the Pack its crucial first singles win. No. 61 freshman Priska Nugroho defeated her Cavalier opponent after battling through a tough first set, tying NC State and Virginia’s scores at 3-3 with her 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win.
At 3-3 the match came down to court six where Miller fought hard to come through for the Pack. After losing her first set, the senior extended the match by winning her second set via tiebreak, but ultimately fell short in the third set as the Cavaliers clinched 4-3.
The Wolfpack returns home, looking to finish its season off strong as the squad is set to face its final two opponents in Raleigh next weekend, starting on April 15 against Louisville. The starting time for the match is to be announced.
