After a successful start to its season, the NC State women’s tennis team is looking to continue its two-match win streak after sweeping Central Florida and Appalachian State. The Pack will have three ranked opponents in the coming month, but seeing as it is 3-1 and No. 12 in the NCAA, this month shouldn’t prove to be too difficult for NC State.
Vs. Old Dominion, Feb. 12
Old Dominion had a rocky start to its season, notching a 2-3 record. The Lady Monarchs fell to the two ranked teams they have played, No. 7 Florida State and No. 20 Central Florida. The Pack has not competed against Old Dominion since the 2011 season, where the Pack swept the match 7-0.
The Lady Monarchs’ doubles team, Yulia Starodubtseva and Alesya Yakubovich, was ranked eighth in the preseason and has gone 3-2 this year. Outside of the Old Dominion doubles team, this matchup shouldn’t have the Pack fighting hard for a victory.
Vs. No. 21 Tennessee, Feb. 13
Tennessee is 5-1 this season, only falling to No. 14 Virginia. Its schedule thus far hasn’t proven to be challenging for the team; however, falling to Virginia showed that Tennessee wasn’t ready to take on a team ranked higher than itself. The Lady Vols are on a two-match win streak.
NC State last played Tennessee in the 2019 season, besting the Lady Vols 4-0. The Lady Vols have a little less than two weeks between matches to prepare for the matchup against the Pack, which unless there is a major upset, should once again prove to show the Pack on top.
At No. 25 Wake Forest, Feb. 20
The Lady Deacons are 2-3 this season and have lost their last three matches. Wake Forest has fallen to No. 8 Northwestern, No. 21 Tennessee and Furman. The Pack and Wake Forest had a matchup in the 2020 season, where the Pack won 5-2.
Junior Anna Brylin will most likely be who the Pack will have to look out for in this matchup. She is 3-1 in singles this year. Brylin and freshman Brooke Killingsworth are leading the team at 3-1 in doubles this season. Despite Wake Forest having Brylin, the Lady Deacons have fallen to teams that are ranked higher than themselves, so once again, this shouldn’t be a tough matchup for the Pack.
At No. 7 Florida State, Feb. 26
Florida State is 3-1 this year with its only loss coming from an away matchup against No. 5 Georgia. The Seminoles are coming off that loss in their second matchup of February. Andrea Garcia has gone undefeated this season in five singles matches, as well as undefeated in six doubles matches, paired with Nandini Das.
The last time these two teams met was in 2019, when Florida State bested the Pack 4-3. This matchup will certainly be the hardest of February for NC State, given Florida State’s rank and the fact that the Seminoles have not lost a home matchup this season. However, this matchup is later in the month, which will allow the Pack more time to prepare.
At Miami, Feb. 28
Miami started its season later in January but is already 2-1 and coming off a loss to No. 15 Vanderbilt to start this month. In the preseason, Estela Perez-Somarriba was ranked second in women’s singles in the ACC, and she has gone undefeated so far this season in three matches.
NC State defeated Miami in their last matchup in the 2019 season 6-1. A lot can change about this Miami team between now and the NC State matchup. Since there is so much time, and considering Miami hasn’t had time to really solidify itself as a team yet, it would be difficult to say which way this matchup could go.
The Pack’s first match this month is this Friday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center in Raleigh against Old Dominion.
