Syracuse falls to No. 9 NC State 7-0, drops to 2-6 in ACC play
Syracuse’s ACC frustrations continued with a 7-0 sweep by No. 9 NC State Sunday afternoon. The Orange only won one set on the day. Peter Radosh | Asst. Copy Editor
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Syracuse was trending upward. The Orange claimed a scrappy comeback win over Wake Forest Friday, improving to 2-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
The victory over the Demon Deacons could’ve been a turning point for Syracuse. On Sunday, it aimed to keep that momentum with a major upset against No. 9 NC State. Yet, it didn’t hold up.
SU (6-9, 2-6 ACC) came crashing back down to reality Sunday, falling 7-0 to the No. 9 Wolfpack (15-5, 7-1 ACC) in Raleigh, North Carolina. NC State led wire-to-wire, only giving up one set en route to the shutout victory. The defeat continues another disappointing season for the Orange.
In doubles, SU head coach Younes Limam slotted Leena Bennetto in the No. 1 pairing, a major shake-up from previous matches. Bennetto had only played as high as the No. 2 doubles for the Orange before Sunday. Alongside Bennetto and Nelly Knezkova were Gabriella Broadfoot and Victoria Osuigwe, the nation’s second-ranked pairing.
At No. 2 doubles, Anastasia Sysoeva paired up with Serafima Shastova against No. 80 Jasmine Conway and Anna Zyryanova. At No. 3, Constance Levevier and Monika Wojcik took on Mia Slama and Lavinia Tanasie. In the end, it didn’t matter where Bennetto played. NC State was excellent in all matches, and SU never stood a chance.
The Wolfpack cruised to a 6-0 win in the first doubles match. The No. 2 match was the only one in which the Orange showed signs of life. The veteran pair of Sysoeva and Shastova were competitive throughout the match, which ultimately ended unfinished with NC State leading 5-3.
The No. 3 match wasn’t much better. Wojcik and Levivier dug themselves an early 4-1 deficit. The pair pushed back and won the second game, but in the end, they were no match for Slama and Tanasie. SU lost 6-2, clinching the doubles point for the Wolfpack.
Singles was more of the same. Syracuse showed brief flashes of competition early but was shut down quickly.
In the No. 1 match, Sysoeva started the first set tied 1-1 against the No. 44 Slama. Still, she eventually dropped 6-2. In the second set, Sysoeva looked better. She and Slama battled early and were tied 3-3 midway. Eventually, though, Slama shut the door. She won three straight games and the match 6-3, earning the point for the Wolfpack.
The second and third matches followed similarly. Both Shastova and Knezkova pushed their opponents in the first set, but couldn’t compete in the second. They combined for just one second-set win. Shastova fell 6-4, 6-1, while Knezkova lost 6-3, 6-1.
The only bright spot of the day for Syracuse? Wojcik in singles. Despite the loss on the scoresheet, she won the Orange’s only set, prevailing 6-4 against Tanasie. The second set leaned Tanasie’s way, and NC State took the point on a late tiebreaker after play concluded.
The fifth and sixth matches didn’t go Syracuse’s way either. The fifth match concluded first, with Osuigwe taking a swift victory for NC State. Bennetto fell 6-1, 6-1 in the second match, capping a rough day for the Miami transfer. In the sixth and final match of the day, Emma Scaldalai fell 6-2, 6-2.
