No. 10 NC State women’s tennis rolls Wake Forest 7-0 in ACC opener

Ethan Bakogiannis, Sports Editor • February 17, 2023

Junior Sophie Abrams (left) and junior Abigail Rencheli talk between sets during the match against Tennessee at J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. Abrams and Rencheli won their doubles match and NC State beat Tennessee 6-1.

No. 10 NC State women’s tennis didn’t mess around in its 2023 ACC opener, sweeping Wake Forest 7-0 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina thanks to another seamless performance from the red-hot Wolfpack.

NC State (6-1, 1-0 ACC) used both its doubles and singles prowess to complete the sweep, making short work of the Demon Deacons (5-4, 0-1 ACC) while on the road.

Boasting some of the best doubles squads in the nation, the Pack expectedly took the early point from Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons put up a fight, however, and even claimed a win on court two over juniors Sophie Abrams and Abigail Rencheli. Still, NC State’s two other pairs came through, winning their courts to earn a 1-0 lead. While freshman Diana Shnaider and graduate student Alana Smith defeated the No. 10 pair in the nation 6-4, junior Gina Dittmann and fifth-year senior Nell Miller clinched the point on court three with a 7-5 win.

Once singles started, it was easy sledding for the Wolfpack. Freshman Anna Zyryanova got the party started with a quick 6-3, 6-0 win on court six to double NC State’s lead. Dittman made short work of her opponent as well, winning 6-2, 6-2 on court five.

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With a 3-0 lead in hand, Shnaider clinched the Pack’s first ACC win of 2023 with a win on court one. After taking her first set 6-1, she came from behind in the second, winning it 7-5 to take the victory.

From there, the Wolfpack kept on rolling. Even though she had to fight through a tiebreaker, No. 15 Smith won in straight sets on court two, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). The No. 64-ranked Abrams mimicked Smith, winning her first set easily but clinching her match via tiebreak. Abrams ultimately won 6-0, 7-6 (7-4).

Finally, the No. 35-ranked Rencheli took the final Wolfpack win thanks to a clutch performance in her superbreaker that decided the split-set match. Her 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8) win finished off the 7-0 sweep.

The crushing win extends NC State’s win streak to four, and it doesn’t look like the Pack is planning to stop anytime soon.

Next up for the red-and-white is a road match with Ohio State on Wednesday, February 22 at 6 p.m.