Newly ranked No. 10 NC State women’s tennis entered the ITA Kickoff Weekend riding high after an impressive 5-2 win over then-No. 10 Pepperdine but suffered its first loss of the 2025 season against No. 15 Ohio State in the first round of the competition.

NC State has had sustained success in ITA Kickoff play in the past, which included a win over rival UNC-Chapel Hill in the quarterfinals of the event in 2024. After making a run all the way to the semifinals of the ITA Indoor Championships last season, the Pack fell in the first round of the in-season tournament to the Buckeyes in a 4-1 result.

The Wolfpack previously defeated a top-tier Ohio State team 4-3 in 2023 thanks to help from then-freshman Diana Schnaider. This time, the Buckeyes got the better of NC State in Knoxville, Tennessee, one of the host sites of the ITA Kickoff Weekend.

To begin the match, the pair of sophomore Kristina Paskauskas and freshman Michaela Laki first fell 6-1 on court three. NC State punched back with a 6-1 win of its own on court one courtesy of the No. 5 pair of sophomores Gabriella Broadfoot and Maddy Zampardo.

To decide the round, the Buckeyes won a close 6-4 match on court two over freshman Mia Slama and junior Anna Zyryanova to take a crucial 1-0 lead heading into singles.

NC State responded accordingly to Ohio State’s doubles round win with a victory on court four from Zampardo. The junior toppled No. 84 Sydni Ratliff in a 6-2, 6-3 decision to even the score out at 1-1. However, after Zampardo’s ranked win, NC State couldn’t muster another point all afternoon as Ohio State rattled off three straight wins to clinch the match.

The Buckeyes first downed Broadfoot in a relatively uncontested 6-1, 6-2 match on court three. Up 2-1, Ohio State moved into clinch position with a victory over Laki on court one. Despite Laki’s stunning win over Pepperdine’s No. 15 Savannah Broadus in the Pack’s victory over the Waves, the upstart freshman fell 6-1, 6-3 to Ohio State’s No. 8 Luciana Perry.

In clinch position, the Buckeyes put the final nail in the coffin with a win on court six in a battle between two ranked opponents. NC State’s No. 55 sophomore Jasmine Conway fell 6-2, 6-4 in her first match of the season to Ohio State’s No. 46 Audrey Spencer.

With the victory over Conway, the Buckeyes clinched the match at 4-1, leaving Zyryanova and No. 55 freshman Gabia Paskauskas’ matches unfinished on courts two and five, respectively.

While eliminated by the Buckeyes, the Pack will face either Texas Tech or the hosting Tennessee Volunteers in a consolation match. Either way, NC State will continue its extended road trip next week with its following match coming against Texas on Jan. 31.

Play against either the Volunteers or Red Raiders is set for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday in Knoxville.