NC State Newsstand: Pack women’s tennis falls in Sweet 16

WINSTON-SALEM, NC - JANUARY 24: Indoor Tennis Association logo marked tennis ball during a game between Kentucky and Penn State at Wake Forest Indoor Tennis Center on January 24, 2020 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

No. 14 NC State fell 4-0 at No. 2 Stanford in the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals on Friday afternoon in Palo Alto, Calif.

The Wolfpack faced a rematch of last season’s national semifinals, but the red and white could not get past the Cardinal. The defeat marked NC State’s fifth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament and closed the Pack’s season at 22-9.

NC State opened the match with a court one win in doubles as No. 12 Amelia Rajecki and Maddy Zampardo beat No. 10 Connie Ma and Alexandra Yepifanova 6-3 for the duo’s 27th victory of the season. But that was the only win the Wolfpack could record in the match.

The Wolfpack dropped the first set in all six singles matches, which allowed the Cardinal to build a substantial lead. Stanford won on court one, two and three to take the match from NC State to end the team’s dual match season.

Though the team is done, the Wolfpack has four players headed to Stillwater, Okla., for the individual and doubles NCAA Tournament on May 20. Rajecki, the No. 2 singles player in the country, No. 62 Anna Zyryanova, Sophie Abrams and Zampardo will travel to continue their seasons in search of NCAA titles.

Tweets of the day

Wolfpack baseball upset No. 10 Virginia in the series opener Friday night.

EA Sports released its first cover art for the new college football video game.

NC State wrestling picked up a commitment fromJosh Miller, a decorated wrestler in the state of North Carolina.

Quote of the day

The Pack picked up a transfer portal commitment from Akron safety Kerry Martin Jr. Here’s what he said about nickels coach Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay’s reaction to the news.

“He was stoked,” Martin said. “I think the whole staff is stoked, excited for me to be there. They were impressed with my football IQ, I was told. I’m just really ready to expand my mind and grow as a player.”