Despite its best efforts, No. 14 NC State men’s tennis fell in a 4-3 thriller in the second round of the NCAA tournament to No. 16 South Carolina in Raleigh. After beating UNC-Wilmington 4-0 the day prior, the Wolfpack was always one step behind the Gamecocks, who ended the Pack’s historic 2024 season inside the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center.

While the Wolfpack rolled the Seahawks, South Carolina took an early lead via the doubles point. Despite heroic efforts in singles from players such as junior Damien Salvestre, the Gamecocks’ Lucas de Silva defeated freshman Jakub Katuch in the intense deciding match on court six.

“In the end, it just wasn’t good enough,” said head coach Kyle Spencer. “And that’s just the way that it goes. But proud of this team and, you know, record-setting year, doing things we’ve never done before.”

Versus South Carolina, 4-3 loss

While the Wolfpack upset South Carolina early on this season in Columbia, South Carolina, the Gamecocks got their revenge in Raleigh. After snatching the doubles round, South Carolina bulldozed its way through a hard-fighting NC State team to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

“But yeah, I think we all gave everything we had,” Salvestre said. “I mean, for sure it hurts. We were competing for a ring this season and we didn’t get there.”

South Carolina took the doubles round with wins over Salvestre and junior Luca Staeheli and junior Joseph Wayand and senior Robin Catry. While the two sides split the first two matches — with juniors Fons Van Sambeek and Braden Shick getting NC State’s lone victory in a 6-2 win on court three — the Gamecocks sat down Wayand and Catry to take the round on court two.

“I thought we’d let the doubles slip, to be fair,” Spencer said. “I thought we were in a great position to win the doubles, and just didn’t just didn’t close out on court two.”

Singles play was moved indoors due to inclement weather before the round started. With play indoors and only four courts available, matches on courts five and six would likely decide the match.

Four hours later, those courts did decide the match. Down 3-2 and needing both Salvestre and Katuch to win, NC State fell just short of a comeback. While Salvestre played possibly his best match in the red-and-white, Katuch was edged out by South Carolina’s Lucas da Silva in a three-set, match-deciding thriller on court six.

But before those two started their matches, NC State and South Carolina split the first four singles courts, all of which were two-set matches. The Gamecocks’ No. 6 Toby Samuel sat down No. 54 Catry on court one while Van Sambeek fell on court four. However, Shick quickly won 6-3, 6-2 for the first singles result of the day while No. 123 Staeheli earned a ranked win on court four in a 6-4, 6-0 decision.

Down 3-2, the Wolfpack needed both Salvestre and Katuch to win. Both gave their best efforts, and Salvestre shined while playing his best match in the red and white.

“All of a sudden, it came down to the last two [courts] like it does here in the indoor game,” Spencer said. “Damian had an unbelievable performance. In a big match situation that’s as comprehensive as you can get.”

Salvestre was everywhere during his match. Hitting angle after angle, he continually frustrated his opponent while making highlight reel-worth plays nearly every game. By the end of his match, the energetic Salvestre downed USC’s Jelani Sarr 6-2, 6-3.

From there, it was all up to Katuch. After falling 6-4 in his first set, the freshman — who had only played in the second half of the season — rebounded for a 6-3 second-set win. But despite every last effort from Katuch, da Silva closed the door and pulled away.

“Last match could have gone either way,” Spencer said. “And it didn’t go our way. What an effort [Katuch] put out there — first semester freshman, played half the season once he got his feet adjusted and, and to be in that spot with it all on the line and fall back from a set down, what more could you ask for him? I thought he did a remarkable job.”

As Katuch’s match ended, the Gamecocks rushed court six and the Pack’s season ended. NC State’s record-setting season ended before the Wolfpack wanted it to, but Spencer said he and his team still had much to be proud of.

“But at the end of the day, it’s a privilege to be out here,” Spencer said. “It’s a privilege to be able to coach these guys and be in this type of environment. When we got here, seven years ago, it wasn’t like this, we weren’t in this, and so to build and get all that is something that we can look upon when it’s time. But for tonight it’s a sour taste.”

Versus UNC-Wilmington, 4-0 win

NC State started off its weekend with a crushing 4-0 win over UNCW, downing the Seahawks in a quick rout at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center on Friday. While the doubles round was closely contested, NC State ran away with the bout with a set of dominant singles matches.

While Van Sambeek and Staeheli lost 7-5 on court two, the Pack’s two other pairs took care of business in doubles by earning the first and last wins of the round. Early on, the newly formed pair of Salvestre and Staeheli pulled off a ranked, 6-3 win.

To take the doubles point, Wayand and Catry gutted out a close, 7-6 (7-5) tiebreak victory on court two. With the duo’s clutch on full display, NC State built on its 1-0 lead with three succinct singles wins.

First off his court was Salvestre, who had a near-perfect match against UNCW’s Trey Mallory on court five. Salvestre won 6-1, 6-0 to double his team’s advantage.

Next was Katuch on court six, who followed in Salvestre’s footsteps with his own 6-1, 6-0 win. Up 3-0, No. 123 Staeheli finished the Seahawks off with a 6-3, 6-2 win on court three to earn NC State its match against the Gamecocks.