In its first ACC match of the season, No. 14 NC State women’s tennis earned a convincing 4-1 win at Louisville
The Wolfpack (6-3, 1-0 ACC) started its brief two-match road stint with a trip to Kentucky to take on the Cardinals (5-3, 0-1 ACC). NC State’s first taste of ACC play was routine — the Wolfpack easily won the doubles point before going 3-1 in singles play to clinch the match.
NC State started its road trip with a doubles win over the Cardinals. The Pack flexed its usual doubles prowess on every court, earning wins on Courts 1 and 2 via its top two pairs. The No. 2 duo of sophomores Gabriella Broadfoot and Maddy Zampardo first earned a ranked win over Louisville’s No. 82 Elisabeth Lila and Alice Otis in a 6-3 result.
To finish out the round, freshman Mia Slama and junior Anna Zyryanova took down their opponents on Court 2 in a 6-2 rout. Despite the Pack’s third and final pair on Court 3 of sophomore Jasmine Conway and freshman Michaela Laki falling in a 0-5 hole, Slama and Zyryanova clinched the doubles point with their win.
Zyryanova began the singles round with a win over Louisville’s Elena Noguero by a score of 6-1, 6-3, adding to her team’s lead.
No. 73 freshman Gabia Paskauskas earned the next victory, a 6-4, 6-4, two-set win on Court 6 to move NC State into clinch position. While Paskauskas has seen limited playing time this season, she notched a win against the Cardinals.
Down 3-0, the hosts avoided a sweep with a win over NC State’s top player, No. 30 Laki. Louisville’s unranked Otis earned a three-set, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 upset win over Laki to cut into the Pack’s lead.
However, NC State responded with Slama win on Court 5. Slama heroically clinched the Pack’s win over then-No. 6 Michigan two weeks ago, and clinched once again for NC State against Louisville. Slama’s three set, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 win secured the Pack’s first conference win of the season.
No. 100 Zampardo’s match and Broadfoot’s matches were both left unfinished due to the clinch. Both sophomores were battling in the middle of their third sets against their opponents when Slama finished the Cardinals off.
NC State is set to stay on the road to play Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana on Sunday before it returns home to Raleigh next week.
Play against the Fighting Irish is set for 11 a.m. EST Sunday.
