CHAPEL HILL N.C. — With its first-ever ACC Championship finals appearance on the line, No. 5 NC State women’s tennis didn’t shrink in the slightest against Georgia Tech, exterminating the Yellow Jackets 5-0 on the way to Championship Sunday.
NC State’s used to playing big-time matches against its fierce conference competition, and only needs one more win to make even more program history.
“I think the biggest thing is just keep putting yourself in these types of matches,” said head coach Simon Earnshaw. “I mean, tomorrow, win or lose, we’re gonna get a lot out of this match. But I mean, if you’re in the final, you might as well try and win it.”
To get there, though, the Wolfpack defeated a determined Georgia Tech team that upset both Miami and Duke on its way to the semifinals. While the Yellow Jackets (15-9, 7-6 ACC) looked for their third-straight upset victory, the red-and-white (22-4, 10-3 ACC) played with purpose and shut out Georgia Tech 5-0.
While the ACC Championships are being held in Cary, North Carolina, the semifinal round was moved to North Carolina’s indoor facility in Chapel Hill. But even with Carolina-blue covering the walls and courts around them, NC State’s players played some of its best tennis of the season.
Doubles started with a speedy, 6-0 win from No. 5 freshman Diana Shnaider and graduate student Alana Smith. While not as dominant, the Pack’s two other pairs won all the same, both in 6-4 decisions on their respective courts. First, juniors Sophie Abrams and Abigail Rencheli took court three, and No. 8 fifth-year senior Nell Miller and junior Amelia Rajecki won on court two just minutes later.
Singles went even smoother for the Wolfpack. On top of winning every first set, NC State clinched with relative ease. First to add to the lead was junior Gina Dittmann, who continued her red-hot singles streak with yet another straight sets win.
It then took some time, but No. 15 Smith followed up Dittmann’s 6-2, 6-1 win with a 6-2, 6-4 win on court two to put the Pack into clinch position.
NC State’s win then ended with not one, but two players that clinched the win. Both Shnaider and Rajecki finished their matches simultaneously, putting the score at 5-0 instead of the normal 4-0 clinch.
No. 12 Shnaider was surgical in her dismantling of Georgia Tech’s No. 13 Carol Lee, even if she had to take the second set via tiebreak. As of late she’s been on another level, and her 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) victory is her fifth straight win against a ranked opponent in straight sets.
Meanwhile, Rajecki won a tiebreaker of her own in her first set and eventually earned her 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 win a split second before Shnaider. With the two finishing at the same time on adjacent courts, they quickly found their teammates in celebration of the Pack’s first conference championship finals berth in program history.
Just moments after NC State booked its ticket to the final, though, the Wolfpack learned it will face none other than UNC in the championship. The Tar Heels are currently the undisputed rulers of college women’s tennis at an undefeated 29-0 this season. Year in year out, Carolina’s been at the top, and this season has been no different. However, there’s no shortage of pressure when you’re at the top, which is something Earnshaw and the Pack think they can capitalize on in the final.
“There’s no reason why we can’t compete with them,” Earnshaw said. “I mean, to me, the pressure is on them. I’ve been the coach of one of these teams that has won so many matches in a row… and it weighs on you at a certain point. So look, I think we’re playing well, I think we can push them and let’s see what happens.”
While NC State certainly has the potential to push the Heels, UNC has plagued the Pack in recent matches. On top of two close losses to Carolina last season, the Heels dominated NC State 7-0 when the two teams met in March, so it’s safe to say the Wolfpack is chomping at the bit to get back at its rival.
“I cannot wait for that rematch,” Rajecki said. “I think playing UNC is always a great match, I think the rivalry is great. Hopefully, we’ll have a lot of fans out there, but I love playing UNC. I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
NC State hasn’t beaten UNC since 1999, making a potential win against No. 1 Carolina with an ACC Championship on the line that much more historic.
The latest rendition of the classic rivalry — this time on the biggest stage — is set for 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 23 at Cary Tennis Park.
