Orange Win ACC Finale, Earn First Round Bye

Sunday, April 22

Raleigh, NC

2 PM

Syracuse University

NC State

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

4/22/2018 5:32:00 PM | Tennis

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. – The No. 27 Orange used a pair of three-set singles victories to record a come-from-behind win over 33^rd-ranked North Carolina State, Sunday afternoon at J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center in the regular season finale. The win over the Wolfpack gives seventh-seeded Syracuse a first round bye in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

The Wolfpack got on the board first with a pair of 6-1 doubles victories at second and third doubles. While the match remained unfinished, the Orange first doubles duo of No. 11 Gabriela Knutson and Miranda Ramirez played a competitive 4-4 match against the No. 25 pair of Claudia Wiktorin and Anna Rogers.

NC State carried their momentum from the doubles round into singles action, taking a 2-0 lead on a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Syracuse's Miranda Ramirez at second singles. Junior Dina Hegab cut the Wolfpack lead in half, cruising to a 6-0, 6-3 victory at fifth singles to put Syracuse on the board.

At sixth singles, junior Libi Mesh found herself in a bind early in set one, down four games to one. However, the Israel native mounted a comeback to take 7-5 victory and an early one-set lead. Mesh kept the ball rolling, tallying the second match victory of the afternoon for 'Cuse with a 6-3 win, knotting the match at two.

After dropping the first set at first singles, 6-4, Knutson battled her way through set two, ultimately forcing a tiebreak after being down 5-4. The junior was relentless in the tiebreak, claiming the 7-6 victory to force a third set. It was all Knutson in set three as the Czech Republic native put the Orange ahead for the first time in match with a 6-3 win in the third set.

With the match on the line, freshman Sofya Golubovskaya worked her way through a three-set contest. Golubovskaya came up short, 6-3, but responded with a 6-3 win of her own to push the match into a third set. The freshman showed her resilience in the form of a 6-2 win, clinching the match for the Orange.

Golubovskaya's doubles partner, Anna Shkudun forced a three-set match at fourth singles but could not convert in the final set, falling 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

FINAL RESULTS

#27 Syracuse 4, #33 NC State 3

Singles competition
1. #5 Gabriela Knutson (SU) def. #87 Anna Rogers (ST) 4-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3
2. #94 Adriana Reami (ST) def. Miranda Ramirez (SU) 6-0, 6-2
3. Sofya Golubovskaya (SU) def. Taylor Bridges (ST) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
4. Claudia Wiktorin (ST) def. Anna Shkudun (SU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
5. Dina Hegab (SU) def. Bianca Moldovan (ST) 6-0, 6-3
6. Libi Mesh (SU) def. Tayla Stenta (ST) 7-5, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. #25 Claudia Wiktorin/Anna Rogers (ST) vs. #11 Miranda Ramirez/Gabriela Knutson (SU) 4-4, unfinished
2. Amanda Rebol/Adriana Reami (ST) def. Sofya Golubovskaya/Anna Shkudun (SU) 6-1
3. Bianca Moldovan/Tayla Stenta (ST) def. Maria Tritou/Dina Hegab (SU) 6-1

The Orange head just up the road to Cary, N.C. for the ACC Tournament beginning on Thursday, April 26. Syracuse will square-off with the winner of Boston College/Pittsburgh with first serve set for 11:30 a.m.

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