The women’s tennis team finished its home stand with its sixth straight victory Saturday, defeating East Carolina, 6-1 and Elon, 7-0 at the J.W Isenhour Tennis Center.
In the first match, the Wolfpack (6-0) took all three doubles matches early to earn a 1-0 match lead. The doubles team of senior Nandita Chandrasekar and sophomore Elin Stahl Johansson defeated the Pirates’ Anca Dumitru and Alex Smith, 8-1, while sophomore Julia Roach and freshman Shona Lee won easily, 8-1. The No. 1 doubles team of senior Barbara Orlay and freshman Alejandra Guerra won its third doubles match of the season, 8-6.
Orlay said they have great chemistry when they play doubles.
“I feel the most confident playing with her, and we get along on and off the tennis court,” Orlay said. “She’s definitely a huge help.”
Coach Hans Olsen echoed Orlay.
“They enjoy playing with each other, and they push each other to be aggressive,” he said.
State went on to win five of the six singles matches. Orlay, ranked No. 90 nationally in singles, took immediate control of her match against Dumitru for a 6-0, 6-0 win at the No. 1 seed. The trend continued as Guerra won 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 4 seed.
The day’s only blemish came when senior Nandita Chandrasekar lost in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.
At the No. 2 seed, Lee won her first singles match of her collegiate career 6-1, 7-5, while freshman Neils Barringer won with her first career shutout, 6-0, 6-0.
Lee said she is happy to get a chance to play and win.
“It feels good since it’s my first match,” Lee said. “I’m just glad to get out there and play.”
Olsen praised Lee for her play, but said he thought she could still improve.
“She started strong in the first set, then she had a little patch where she dropped off a little, but she finished strong,” Olsen said. “I think the main thing to work on is being able to keep her focus.”
The nightcap win was easier for the Pack. They won two out of three doubles matches from the Phoenix to take a 1-0 match lead. The doubles team of Guerra and Lee won, 8-5, while Pack junior Agustina Arechavaleta and Barringer won easily, 8-1, to take the doubles point. The No. 3 doubles team of junior Allison Barry and sophomore Erin Stahl Johannson lost its doubles match in a tiebreaker, 9-8 (7-5).
The Pack played strong to win all of their singles matches. Barringer would accomplish the same feat earlier in the day by earning her second straight shutout 6-0, 6-0 at the No. 4 seed. Orlay won her second match of the day by defeating Elon’s Evin Prelec, 6-4, 6-1 at the No. 1 seed. Lee would continue her debut on a strong note by winning 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2.
Barringer said focus was very important in her victories.
“I thought I played well today and just really focused on my game,” Barringer said. “I took control of the points and served well, which was good.”
Olsen said the shut out victories were what Barringer needed.
“For Neils, this gives her a lot of confidence,” Olsen said. “She has been playing a lot of girls she has recognized from junior tennis, and those games used to be close matches, but now she is defeating them easily, so this has to be a confidence builder. She’s been moving well, and she’s been serving well, and that has been leading her to decisive wins.”
Orlay said the first set of her second match was not as easy because she did not play doubles during the nightcap.
“I wasn’t really warmed up in the second match because I didn’t play doubles, but everything fell back into the right place,” Orlay said.
The Pack believe the senior leadership of Orlay and Chandrasekar have helped them throughout the season.
“Barbie’s the best,” Barringer said. “She’s a great leader and before the matches, she encourages us before the matches. She and Nandita are great senior leaders.”
Olsen added they show their leadership in different ways.
“I mean they have a unique style of leadership, and they make an environment where the senior players are equal to the freshman players,” Olsen said. “Everybody feels like they have equal stock on the team, and that’s working for them.”
