The NC State men’s and women’s tennis teams will head to Rome, Georgia this week to compete in the ACC Championships.
The No. 28 Wolfpack women’s team (18-9, 7-7 ACC) enters the tournament with the fifth seed following its historic season, as its 18 wins and seven ACC victories were both all-time highs for State. The men’s team (13-14, 4-8 ACC) holds the nine seed for the ACC Championship.
The Pack women have a first-round bye, and will face the winner of 12th-seeded Boston College and Virginia Tech, the 13 seed. Earlier in the season NC State defeated the Eagles, 6-1, but fell to the Hokies, 4-3. If the Pack survives its opening matchup, it will take on fourth-seeded Miami, who the Pack dropped a close 4-3 match against earlier in the year.
In singles, State is led by senior Martina Frantova and freshman Anna Rogers. Frantova is ranked 73rd in the country in singles and has posted a 20-19 (4-10 ACC) record this season. She has played on the first court for the Pack in all but two matches this season, and has registered five wins against nationally ranked opponents.
Rogers has put together an impressive 25-11 (8-5 ACC) record, and is 15-5 when playing on the second or third court for the Wolfpack.
Behind Rogers and Frantova are sophomore Claudia Wilktorin and freshman Adriana Reami. Wilktorin is 19-18 (5-8 ACC) this year, and has spent the entirety of her season playing on the second and third court. Reami played her way to a 24-16 (8-6 ACC) mark for the Pack during the regular season.
The overwhelming strength of the Wolfpack women comes in doubles, where Rogers and Frantova lead the way. The duo is ranked No. 13 in the country for doubles and is an incredible 23-1 (12-1 ACC) on the year, which includes a 5-1 record over ranked opponents. The pair is also on a 14-match winning streak headed into ACCs.
The second doubles pair for the Pack features Wilktorin and sophomore Bianca Moldovan. This duo has not been as good as Frantova and Rogers, but has been formidable with a 22-8 (6-4 ACC) record.
The Wolfpack women enter the week with the hopes of making a run, and should be able to handle their opening-round matchup. With a very winnable match against Miami following, the Pack could clinch a semifinals appearance. However, State will be slated to play top-seeded No. 3 UNC-Chapel Hill in the semis, and it would take a miraculous effort for the Pack to upset the Tar Heels.
The Pack men have been less stellar than the women this year, and hold both conference and overall losing records. State will take on Virginia Tech in its opening match, a team the Wolfpack dropped a tight 4-3 decision to earlier in the season. If the Pack can survive the Hokies, it will have a meeting with the top-ranked team in the nation, Wake Forest.
Senior Nick Horton and freshman Alexis Galarneau headline the Pack, with Horton being ranked 76th in the country and Galarneau coming in at No. 119. Horton has a 19-15 (5-6 ACC) record on the season, having played all but two matches on one of the top two courts. Galarneau has a stronger record at 24-9 (7-5 ACC) and is an impressive 10-3 playing on the second court. Galarneau also has a team-high six wins over ranked opponents.
In doubles, the Wolfpack is fronted by the duo of Galarneau and redshirt sophomore Michael Ogden. The pair began playing with each other late in the season, and has earned a 5-1 ACC record in its short time together. Galarneau and Ogden have also climbed their way into the national rankings, coming in at 48th.
The other main doubles partnership for the Pack features sophomores Igor and Ivan Saveljic, brothers from Montenegro. The duo is 6-10 (3-4 ACC) when playing together this season, including a 3-4 mark on court one.
While a win over Virginia Tech is possible for State, it seems incredibly unlikely that the Pack could upset Wake Forest in the quarterfinals, who State lost to 6-1 during the regular season.
