NC State women's tennis dominates No. 1, previously unbeaten UNC for ACC title
No. 1-ranked North Carolina women’s tennis has been the dominant force in the sport this season. The Heels had won 29 straight matches, including winning the ITA National Indoor Championship. Only once this season had a team even scored 3 points in the best of 7 dual-match format, and NC State women’s tennis itself was swept 7-0 when the two teams faced off April 6 in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The rematch in the ACC Women’s Tournament Championship in Cary, N.C., on Sunday morning would be a far different outcome.
Buoyed by ACC Women’s Tournament MVP freshman Diana Shnaider, NC State women’s tennis dominated UNC, 4-1, to claim the Wolfpack’s first ever conference title in program history.
Shnaider did not participate in the dual in Chapel Hill due to her run to the round of 16 in the Charleston Open on the WTA Tour. Back in the lineup, Shnaider faced off against No. 1 and only once-beaten UNC junior Fiona Crawley, who won the ITA Fall National Championship.
Shnaider, ranked No. 88 in the world, proved too much for Crowley, dominating in straight sets for a 6-2, 6-1 win. That victory put NC State a point away from clinching. The Pack had earlier won the doubles point by taking the first two of three matches, and junior and No. 29-ranked Amelia Rajecki quickly secured the point at singles No. 3 with a 6-3, 6-1 win over UNC sophomore and No. 21 Carson Tanguilig.
With NC State women’s tennis up 3-0 and needing one more match to clinch the title, UNC got on the board when prized freshman Reese Brantmeier defeated NC State fifth-year senior Alana Smith in straight sets at singes No. 2.
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That would be the only match in which the Heels held the advantage, however.
At singles No. 5, NC State junior Sophie Abrams had taken the first set 7-5 on UNC senior Elizabeth Scotty and was up a break in the second by the time Brantmeier had won. Leading 3-1 in the second set, Abrams was able to hold serve and then scored another break to take a commanding 5-1 advantage.
On set and championship point, Abrams’ serve was returned long by Scotty, clinching the title. As Abrams dropped her racket and raised her arms triumphantly, her teammates came swarming from other courts to to celebrate.
The other two matches remained unfinished, but NC State junior Abigail Rencheli and junior Gina Dittman had each just finished winning first set tiebreakers on their North Carolina counterparts.
NC State women’s tennis, who entered the ACC Tournament ranked No. 5, now awaits the NCAA Tournament draw. Two years ago the Pack reached the Final Four, and last year Jaeda Daniel and Nell Miller teamed to win the NCAA Doubles Championship.
