#27 Orange Rally To Defeat #35 NC State In ACC Tourney

Thursday, April 21

Cary, N.C.

10 a.m.

Syracuse University

North Carolina State University

#27 Orange Rally To Defeat #35 NC State In ACC Tourney

4/21/2016 1:01:00 PM | Tennis

CARY, N.C.- The No. 27 Syracuse women's tennis team defeated No. 35 North Carolina State in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Thursday afternoon, defeating the Wolfpack in dramatic fashion by the final score of 4-3 at Cary Tennis Park. The Orange will take on No. 7 Miami tomorrow at 9 a.m. for a shot at the semifinals.

The win for Syracuse (14-7, 8-7 ACC) was its first in ACC Tournament play, as the Orange came from behind to take down NC State (15-11, 6-9 ACC). After trailing 3-2, junior Valeria Salazar utilized a three-set victory to tie the match at three before freshman Libi Mesh made a remarkable comeback, winning the match for Syracuse in her third set.

NC State picked up the first point of the match, utilizing two doubles victories to take a 1-0 lead over the Orange. Graduate student Anna Shkudun and freshman Dina Hegab were defeated 6-1 by Bianca Moldovan and Joanna Nalborska before sophomore Nicole Mitchell and freshman Maria Tritou were beaten. Amanda Rebol and Claudia Wiktorin took down Tritou and Mitchell 6-4, delivering the Wolfpack a 1-0 lead headed into singles.

Freshman Gabriela Knutson made quick work of Moldovan to even the score up at 1, winning in two straight sets by the scores of 6-1 and 6-2. NC State reclaimed the lead as Wiktorin was able to beat Tritou 7-6, 6-3, putting the Wolfpack up 2-1. Barbara Mancera then defeated Hegab in two straight sets, setting up NC State for a chance to win with her two-set victory with the final score of 7-5, 6-2.

With their backs against the wall, Syracuse needed three straight victories to come from behind and take the match and the Orange did just that. Starting with No. 62 Shkudun in singles, the grad student defeated No. 37 Martina Frantova 6-4, 6-4 to pull Syracuse within one at 3-2.

Trailing by one, Salazar went three sets with Joanna Nalborska before tying the match up at three. Salazar won the first set 6-2 before dropping the second set 7-6. The junior battled back in the third set, taking it 6-3 to win the match.

With the score tied at three a piece, it all came down to Mesh. After losing the first set 6-2 to NC State's Amanda Rebol, Mesh came back in the second to take the set 6-2 and tie it up headed into the third set. In the final set, Mesh trailed 5-4 before persevering to win the next three games, prevailing 7-5 over Rebol and winning the match for Syracuse.

#27 Syracuse 4, #35 NC State 3

Singles competition

1. #62 Anna Shkudun (SU) def. #37 Martina Frantova (ST) 6-4, 6-4

2. Valeria Salazar (SU) def. Joanna Nalborska (ST) 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3

3. #81 Gabriela Knutson (SU) def. Bianca Moldovan (ST) 6-1, 6-2

4. Claudia Wiktorin (ST) def. Maria Tritou (SU) 7-6 (7-1), 6-3

5. Libi Mesh (SU) def. Amanda Rebol (ST) 2-6, 6-2, 7-5

6. Barbara Mancera (ST) def. Dina Hegab (SU) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. Martina Frantova/Tayla Stenta (ST) vs. #33 Valeria Salazar/Gabriela Knutson (SU) no result

2. Bianca Moldovan/Joanna Nalborska (ST) def. Anna Shkudun/Dina Hegab (SU) 6-1

3. Amanda Rebol/Claudia Wiktorin (ST) def. Maria Tritou/Nicole Mitchell (SU) 6-4

Match Notes:

NC State 15-10; National ranking #35

Syracuse 13-7; National ranking #27

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (3,4,6,1,2,5)

Syracuse will take on No. 7 Miami tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Cary Tennis Park. The Hurricanes defeated the Orange one week ago by the final score of 6-1, as Syracuse will look to avenge that loss for a shot to move on to the ACC semifinals.

Live stats can be accessed via Cuse.com.

For more information and updates, follow Syracuse women's tennis on Twitter (@Cuse_Tennis), Instagram (@CuseTennis) and Facebook.