The No. 16 NC State men’s tennis team picked up its first official ACC win of the season against Boston College, sweeping the Eagles 7-0.
The Pack’s tenth win of the season was not easily taken as Boston College (3-4, 0-2 ACC) posed a challenge to the Wolfpack’s singles lineup on multiple courts. Courtesy of late-match heroics, NC State (10-2, 1-0 ACC) managed to take all singles matches and the doubles point.
Junior Robin Catry was one of the Pack members challenged in his singles match. After winning the first set 6-3, his opponent fought back and took the second set of the court one match. Catry found himself down 8-2 in the 10-point tiebreak deciding the third set, however, Catry dug deep and fought back, taking seven straight points, heroically winning the tiebreak and the match 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8).
“I was just trying to make him play more balls, not miss, and yeah, the opposite happened,” Catry said. “He gave me more points at that moment and after 8-7, 8 all, it was just putting the returns in, serving big, and yeah, I was able to do that.”
Freshman Damien Salvestre also was able to put on a clutch performance on court four as he won his tense match 7-5, 7-5. After battling to win his first set, Salvestre was down 2-5 in the second set but put up a fight despite the deficit. Salvestre was able to battle and complete his second set comeback as he won five straight games.
Both Salvestre and Catry were able to keep the sweep alive in spite of the fierce competition they faced.
“So that’s what they do,” said head coach Kyle Spencer. “They love playing tennis. They love working for things and they weren’t just going to give in. And so that was great.”
Early on, NC State easily won the doubles point due to a fast win by No. 51 duo junior Martins Rocens and freshman Fons Van Sambeek, winning 6-1. They were followed by senior Yannai Barkai and graduate student Collin Shick’s 6-3 victory to take the doubles.
The rest of the singles round was taken by the Pack with less drama than Catry and Salvestre’s courts. Rocens earned the first singles point as he won 6-2, 6-2 and was quickly followed by Van Sambeek on court five as he won 6-0, 6-1.
Sophomore Luca Staeheli clinched the match for the Wolfpack with his 6-1, 6-4 win on court two. After Catry and Salvestre took their courts, sophomore Braden Shick finished his dominant win on court six, completing the sweep with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
The Pack earned its first official conference win, but faces a tough slate of more ACC opponents in the next week that includes Florida State, Miami, and Wake Forest.
“Yeah, it’s good,” Spencer said “Look, it’s a long ACC season and every team in our league is of utmost quality and so that’s the beginning, 1-0. You can only beat who’s in front of you. And so today was Boston College, and so we feel fortunate to come out with a win and excited for what’s on tap.”
Next for the Pack is No. 6 South Carolina at home as the squad takes on its fourth ranked team of the season. First serve is set for March 1 at 3 p.m.
