At 3 p.m. today the No. 47 women’s tennis team faces rival No. 17 North Carolina at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Complex. The match marks an opening to ACC match play for both teams.
“We’re really looking forward to the match,” coach Hans Olsen said. “We have the advantage of playing at home.”
The team just returned from California after competing in the ITA Team Indoor Playoffs this past weekend, losing to No. 37 Washington and No. 48 Long Beach State.
“Last weekend was a tough weekend, as a team we learned a lot,” junior Berkley Brock said. “Everyone was fresh today and ready to practice as usual.”
While in Calif. the Wolfpack missed coach Kay Yow’s funeral, but kept her in their hearts according to Olsen.
“Pender [Sessoms] had T-shirts made,” Olsen said. “Everyday they warmed up wearing these T-shirts that said ‘Wolfpack Women’s Tennis Remembers Coach Kay Yow.'”
The Pack is now 1-3 for the season as they prepare to play 4-0 Carolina. Carolina leads the all-time series against the Pack 3-35, and boasts three ranked singles players, while N.C. State sophomore Lenka Hojckova is ranked No. 87 nationally in singles play.
“We don’t really focus on rankings and numbers so much but more what we’re trying to accomplish on the court,” Olsen said. “Our focus is just on us and the ball on our side of the net.”
The team has been working on doubles and singles equally this week, as well as their attitude on the court according to Brock.
“My goal for today is just to bring a lot of positivity and intensity,” Brock said. “It’s just something that everyone can always improve on.”
Olsen said that keeping up the intensity is key for today’s match as well as future ACC play.
“Where we need to pick it up is intensity in long matches on the singles court,” Olsen said. “We’ve lost a few matches that were close than we would have wanted to win.”
Sophomore Daria Petrovic is out with tendentious in her elbow and isn’t expected to return to match play until next week, opening the door for newcomers Diana Mortlock, Pender Sessoms, and Jackie Ussery – all part of the expected line-up this afternoon.
According to Sessoms, she can feel some added pressure playing against the Tarheels for her first time.
“Because some of [Carolina’s] players are ranked it has a little more pressure,” Sessoms said. “But I haven’t really been thinking about it to much, but it will probably set in when I’m sitting in class today.”
Olsen is confident that the women are ready for the match.
“They’re young so they bring a lot of enthusiasm and excitement to each match they play,” Olsen said. “Once they get their teeth into the match I’m sure they will be fine and the nerves will go away.”
