Women's Tennis Posts Comeback Win Over NC State

Friday, February 27

Raleigh, N.C.

TBA

University of Louisville

North Carolina State

February 28, 2015 | Women's Tennis

Feb. 28, 2015

The University of Louisville women's tennis team dropped the doubles point but slugged it out in singles to notch a 4-3 over the Wolfpack of North Carolina State Saturday afternoon in Raleigh.

"This was an incredible effort by this team. We lost a few matches in a row that were very similar to this one. I think the reason we won was because of all the close matches we have been playing recently," said Uof L head coach Mark Beckham. "This win is going to help quite a bit for the future of this team. This team is so young that they have never gone through any of these situations before. Chloe Willetts was the clincher but Olivia Boesing deserves a lot of credit as well for never losing confidence and finding a way to win."

The Cardinals won their first doubles match when Cassie Pough and Manuela Velasquez teamed up at No. 3 to beat Natalia Janowicz and Liz Fieldsend 8-3. But UofL lost at No. 1 and No. 2 to give NC State a 1-0 lead going into singles.

Manuela Velasquez struck first again when she finished off NC State's Elisha Hande 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3. But North Carolina pushed back with a win at No. 4 when Nicole Martinez beat Cassie Pough 6-1, 6-4. Ariana Rodriguez battled her way to a win for the Cards with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Liza Fieldsend at No. 2 to tie at two. UofL's Jessie Lynn Paul almost won her first set before falling 7-6 (7-4) but then fell at No. 1 when Joanna Nalborska won the final set 6-2.

The Cards were down 3-2 when the final two singles players took the court. NC State has four indoor courts, so the No. 5 and No. 6 positions have to wait for an open court. That task fell to Chloe Willetts at No. 5 and Olivia Boesing at No. 6. Boesing dropped her first set 6-3 to Natalia Janowicz and dug in to take the next two at 6-1, 6-4. Chloe Willetts also dropped her first set before clinching the match after taking the next set from Sophie Nelson 6-3 and then winning a tiebreaker set 7-6 (7-3).

The Cardinals stay on the ACC trail, and play Georgia Tech on March 6 in Atlanta.

Tennis Match ResultsUniversity of Louisville vs NC StateFeb 28, 2015 at Raleigh, N.C.(J.W. Isenhour Center)University of Louisville 4, NC State 3 Singles competition1. Joanna Nalborska (ST) def. Jessie Paul (LOU) 7-6 (7-4), 6-22. Ariana Rodriguez (LOU) def. Liza Fieldsend (ST) 6-4, 6-43. Manuela Velasquez (LOU) def. Elisha Hande (ST) 6-1, 6-24. Nicole Martinez (ST) def. Cassie Pough (LOU) 6-1, 6-45. Chloe Willetts (LOU) def. Sophie Nelson (ST) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)6. Olivia Boesing (LOU) def. Natalia Janowicz (ST) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
 Doubles competition1. Nicole Martinez/Sophie Nelson (ST) def. Ariana Rodriguez/Elle Stokes (LOU) 8-32. Elisha Hande/Joanna Nalborska (ST) def. Chloe Willetts/Olivia Boesing (LOU) 8-53. Cassie Pough/Manuela Velasquez (LOU) def. Natalia Janowicz/Liza Fieldsend (ST) 8-3
Match Notes:University of Louisville 9-5NC State 5-3Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (3,4,2,1,6,5)T-4:45  A-81