No. 19 NC State drops road match to Northwestern

EVANSTON, IL. The No. 19 NC State men’s tennis team suffered their loss of the season, falling to Northwestern, 4-3.
 
The Wolfpack (2-1) took care of business in doubles action, but were edged out by the Wildcats (2-0) in singles competition. 
 
Doubles recap
NC State took the first doubles win of the day when Martins Rocens and Fons Van Sambeek defeated the combo of Steven Forman and Felix Nordby, 6-2.
 
The Wildcats evened things up in the second match when Trice Pickens and Natan Spear upset No. 21 Rafa Izquierdo Luque and Joe Wayan, 6-3.
 
The combo of Robin Catry and Luca Staeheli secured the doubles points, winning the rubber match, 6-3. 
 
Singles recap
The singles showdown between NC State and Northwestern was a seesaw affair during the first two matches.
 
Luca Staeheli got the Pack off to a good start, defeating Presley Thieneman, 7-5, 6-3. The Wildcats evened things out when Steven Forman beat No. 122 Rafa Izquierdo Luque, 6-3 and 7-5. 
 
Northwestern went ahead, 3-2, when Simen Bratholm defeated Robin Catry in consecutive tiebreakers, 7-5, 7-5. The Wildcats won two in a row to take control. No. 97 Ivan Yatsuk defeated Martins Rocens in three sets, followed by a win by No. 110 Trice Pickens over Braden Shick.
 
Fons Van Sambeek of NC State ended the day with a win over Gleb Blekher, 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4.
 
Results

Northwestern 4, No. 19 NC State 3

Doubles 
Order of finish: (2,3,1)
 
1. Robin Catry/Luca Staeheli (NC State) def. Simen Bratholm/Ivan Yatsuk (Northwestern), 6-3
 
2. Martins Rocens/Fons Van Sambeek (NC State) def. Steven Forman/Felix Nordby (Northwestern), 6-2
 
3. Trice Pickens/Natan Spear (Northwestern) def. No. 21 Rafa Izquierdo Luque/Joseph Wayand (NC State), 3-6
 
Singles 
Order of finish: (5,1,3,2,4,6)
 
1. Steven Forman (Northwestern) def. No. 122 Rafa Izquierdo Luque, 3-6, 5-7
 
2.  No. 97 Ivan Yatsuk (Northwestern) def. Martins Rocens (NC State), 4-6, 6-4, 3-6
 
3. Simen Bratholm (Northwestern) def. Robin Catry (NC State), 7-5, 7-5
 
4. No. 110 Trice Pickens (Northwestern) def. Braden Shick (NC State), 7-6, 7-6
 
5. Luca Staeheli (NC State) def. Presley Thieneman (Northwestern), 7-5, 6-3
 
6. Fons Van Sambeek (NC State) vs. Gleb Blekher (Northwestern), 6-4, 6-7, 6-4
 
Up next: NC State returns home on Friday, taking on 16 Harvard at 6 pm.
 
 
 
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