No. 3 NC State women’s tennis started its 2023 season in strong fashion, handily taking down South Carolina on the road, on Saturday, Jan. 21. 

While the Wolfpack (1-0) is toting a new and reloaded roster as compared to its 2022 squad, the win was a routine one. The hosting Gamecocks (0-1) had little to no answers for the Pack’s potent lineup, losing the early doubles point and five out of six singles matches for a 6-1 result. 

It was rare for NC State to lose the doubles round in 2022, and the Pack picked up where it left off, winning the early doubles point thanks to two new sets of doubles duos. Fifth-year senior Nell Miller and junior Amelia Rajecki beat their Gamecock opponents 7-5, and while junior Abigail Rencheli and freshman Anna Zyryanova fell in their match, junior Sophie Abrams graduate student Alana Smith won 6-4. 

With four NC State players ranked in singles, the Pack proceeded to roll through the next round, winning five out of six singles matches on the way to victory. No. 23-ranked Rajecki downed her opponent 6-4, 6-1, and her fellow junior, the No. 25-ranked Rencheli, rolled through her Gamecock opponent 6-2, 6-3. The No. 97-ranked Abrams did the same as her counterparts, cruising through her singles match 6-1, 6-3.

Miller won her singles match in the only three-setter of the day. After winning her first set but dropping the second, she won her superbreaker 10-4 to claim another Wolfpack singles win. Newcomer and junior Gina Dittman won in dominating fashion in her NC State debut, crushing her opponent 6-1, 6-1. 

The only NC State loss of the day came from a heated ranked singles match on court one. South Carolina’s No. 20 Ayana Akli got the better of NC State’s No. 13-ranked Smith in two sets. 

After breezing through its season-opener against the Gamecocks, the Wolfpack is set to make its home debut against Illinois as it hosts multiple teams in the ITA Kickoff Weekend. 

NC State will battle Illinois on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 11 a.m.