NC State men’s tennis pulled off its highest win in program history as it stunned No. 2 South Carolina with an inspired 4-3 upset win in Columbia, South Carolina.
Despite recent struggles against ranked teams like Harvard and Duke, the Wolfpack confidently walked into Columbia and shocked one of the best teams in the nation for its biggest, most impressive win in recent memory.
The Pack’s tense win in the doubles round gave it (4-2) a glimpse of what a potential upset could look like. From there, the red-and-white continued to defy the Gamecocks’ (3-1) experience and talent, winning the three singles matches it needed to capture the 4-3 victory that was sealed by a clutch, three-set, match-clinching victory from senior Luca Staeheli.
With the match hanging in the balance at 3-3, it was up to Staeheli to bring the win home. The senior fell 5-7 in his first set but rebounded in his second set with a win via tiebreaker. Channeling his momentum from the breaker, Staeheli dominated in the deciding third set, beating his opponent 6-1 as his team crashed court three in celebration.
Early on, NC State started its day off strong with a win in doubles. Juniors Braden Shick and Fons Van Sambeek caught their top-ranked opponents off guard, dismantling them 6-1 for a quick win. However, South Carolina responded with a 6-4 win over sophomore Martin Borisiouk and junior Joseph Wayand.
As each side split the first two doubles courts, senior Robin Catry and Staeheli decided the last round in clutch fashion. With both sides eagerly anticipating the result, the Pack’s pair finished off a 6-4 win to capture the point.
Riding a high from doubles, the Wolfpack carried its momentum into the next round, and Borisiouk doubled the Pack’s lead with a straight-sets win. The sophomore grinded through a 7-6 tiebreak win in his first set and then found his footing, decisively beating his Gamecock opponent 6-1 in the next set.
South Carolina notched the other two straight-set wins of the day. The Gamecocks captured wins over Wayand and Van Sambeek to even the score.
From there, Shick beat out his opponent in a three-setter. After dropping his first set, Shick won his last two, resulting in a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 win to put the Wolfpack in clinch position. However, South Carolina had already counterpunched with its own three-set win over Catry on court one.
With the match at 3-3, all eyes turned to Staeheli and his opponent, Jelani Sarr, on court three. As the Pack’s biggest win in program history hung in the balance, Staeheli calmly delivered in his third and final set.
After sliding out of the rankings, NC State’s win over the Gamecocks will undoubtedly rocket the Wolfpack back into the top 25 in the nation. With more ranked opponents ahead, such as No. 9 Columbia, the red-and-white will look to capitalize on its momentum and expand upon its impressive win.
NC State will return home to the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center to face the Lions on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 1 p.m.
