Wake Forest Athletics
Friday, February 23
Montgomery, Ala.
7:30 p.m. (Friday) / 8 a.m. (Saturday)
Wake Forest University
1
vs
4
Texas Tech
Demon Deacons Fall to Texas Tech, Beat Illinois on Final Day of the Blue Gray Classic
2/24/2024 8:06:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Wake Forest will now look ahead to conference play starting next weekend against Louisville and Notre Dame.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Wake Forest women's tennis team earned a third-place finish at the 76th Annual Blue Gray Classic Saturday in Montgomery, Ala. The Demon Deacons dropped their second round matchup to No. 22 Texas Tech, 4-1, and bounced back with a 4-1 victory over No. 24 Illinois.
In singles, No. 26 Casie Wooten improved to 6-2 in dual play this season with six-consecutive wins. Against Texas Tech, the senior earned her sixth win over a ranked opponent since the start of fall play, as she earned the lone point against the Red Raiders with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over No. 59 Christina Tiglea.
Wooten followed up the early-morning victory with another against Illinois later Saturday afternoon, as she defeated Megan Heuser 6-2, 6-4 and completed her perfect 3-0 weekend. This performance comes a week after being named ACC Player of the Week for the second time this season.
Against Illinois, the Demon Deacons (6-5, 0-0 ACC) bounced back after dropping the doubles point with a dominant showing in singles. In addition to Wooten's win, senior Brooke Killingsworth (6-2, 6-4), graduate student Marcella Cruz (6-4, 6-2) and freshman Sankavi Gownder (6-3, 7-5) all earned straight-set victories in second, third and fifth singles, respectively.
Gownder is second on the team with five solo victories in dual play this season to just two losses, with a majority of her wins coming in fifth singles, and is now on a three-match winning streak heading into conference play.
The Demon Deacons improved to 6-4 all-time against the Fighting Illini and have now won three in a row, all of which came on a neutral court.
Singles Results vs. No. 22 Texas Tech:
Doubles Results vs. No. 24 Illinois
From Friday
Wake Forest took the doubles point for the sixth-consecutive match, as the reigning ACC Doubles Team of the Week of senior Brooke Killingsworth and graduate student Marcella Cruz earned a 6-3 victory over Yale's Aggarwal/Ha. The third pairing for the Bulldogs retired and second doubles went unfinished.
They are now 5-2 as a partnership during dual play this season and had a five-match win streak until their loss Friday evening to No. 7 Sayfetdinova/Komac of Texas Tech.
In singles against the Bulldogs, senior Casie Wooten (6-4, 6-3) and freshman Sankavi Gownder (6-2, 6-0) both improved to a 4-2 in singles play this spring and are tied for the most wins on the team. Sophomore Nevena Carton earned a 6-2, 6-3 win for her third win in dual play.
The Deacs are now 5-5 all-time against Yale and 2-1 on a neutral court. They have now won three-consecutive matches against the Bulldogs dating back to 2017.
The Demon Deacons dropped the doubles point to the Red Raiders Friday night.
Doubles Results vs. No. 25 Yale:
Singles Results vs. No. 25 Yale:
Doubles Results vs. No. 22 Texas Tech:
From Head Coach Jeff Wyshner
"What a gritty performance. We were down after losing the tough match to Texas Tech and then it got worse by losing the doubles point to Illinois. Then the whole group responded with as gritty of a performance in six singles matches that you can have. Casie, Brooke and Marcella really stepped up as seniors at a moment when we needed it most. We didn't know if Brooke and Marcella had anything left after the morning and they looked done in doubles, but they went out and played amazing matches. Casie was just great all weekend and then Sankavi closes it out in straight sets, which has been a bit of a challenge in the first 6 weeks. She didn't let an older player get that second set and force a third where anything can happen. Nevena and Krystal refused to give up a point and kept themselves in the battle, which helps Sankavi not feel all the pressure! Now, we come out of the weekend with two top-25 wins and we can turn the page to March having taken a step forward in February! We're excited to start ACC play on Friday. I hope people will come out Friday and Sunday, especially Sunday where we'll be giving out 50 Wake Forest Tennis sweatshirts!"
Next Up
The Demon Deacons will now return home for a pair of matches to open ACC play against Louisville and Notre Dame on Friday (March 1) and Sunday (March 3).
The match against the Cardinals is slated for 4 p.m. at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
In singles, No. 26 Casie Wooten improved to 6-2 in dual play this season with six-consecutive wins. Against Texas Tech, the senior earned her sixth win over a ranked opponent since the start of fall play, as she earned the lone point against the Red Raiders with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over No. 59 Christina Tiglea.
Wooten followed up the early-morning victory with another against Illinois later Saturday afternoon, as she defeated Megan Heuser 6-2, 6-4 and completed her perfect 3-0 weekend. This performance comes a week after being named ACC Player of the Week for the second time this season.
Against Illinois, the Demon Deacons (6-5, 0-0 ACC) bounced back after dropping the doubles point with a dominant showing in singles. In addition to Wooten's win, senior Brooke Killingsworth (6-2, 6-4), graduate student Marcella Cruz (6-4, 6-2) and freshman Sankavi Gownder (6-3, 7-5) all earned straight-set victories in second, third and fifth singles, respectively.
Gownder is second on the team with five solo victories in dual play this season to just two losses, with a majority of her wins coming in fifth singles, and is now on a three-match winning streak heading into conference play.
The Demon Deacons improved to 6-4 all-time against the Fighting Illini and have now won three in a row, all of which came on a neutral court.
Singles Results vs. No. 22 Texas Tech:
- No. 26 Casie Wooten (WFU) def. No. 59 Cristina Tiglea (TTU) 6-1, 6-3
- Mariya Polishchuk (TTU) def. Brooke Killingsworth (WFU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
- Avelina Sayfetdinova (TTU) def. Marcella Cruz (WFU) 7-6(3), 7-5
- Nevena Carton (WFU) vs. Kate Dmitrichenko (TTU) 6-4, 6-6, unfinished
- Sankavi Gownder (WFU) vs. Matka Komac (TTU) 7-6, 5-7, 2-1, unfinished
- Anrdreea Lila (TTU) def. Krystal Blanch (WFU) 7-5, 7-5
Doubles Results vs. No. 24 Illinois
- Heuser/Xu (ILL) def. Cruz/Killingsworth (WFU) 6-2
- Wooten/Blanch (WFU) def. Schaefbauer/Martinez (ILL) 6-4
- Frazier/Ferrati (ILL) def. Pate/Gownder (WFU) 6-4
- No. 26 Casie Wooten (WFU) def. Megan Heuser (ILL) 6-2, 6-4
- Brooke Killingsworth (WFU) def. Violeta Martinez (ILL) 6-2, 6-4
- Marcella Cruz (WFU) def. Kasia Treiber (ILL) 6-4, 6-2
- Nevena Carton (WFU) vs. McKenna Schaefbauer (ILL) 5-7, 3-2, unfinished
- Sankavi Gownder (WFU) def. Josie Frazier (ILL) 6-3, 7-5
- Krystal Blanch (WFU) vs. Kida Ferrari (ILL) 6-3, 4-6, 0-5, unfinished
From Friday
Wake Forest took the doubles point for the sixth-consecutive match, as the reigning ACC Doubles Team of the Week of senior Brooke Killingsworth and graduate student Marcella Cruz earned a 6-3 victory over Yale's Aggarwal/Ha. The third pairing for the Bulldogs retired and second doubles went unfinished.
They are now 5-2 as a partnership during dual play this season and had a five-match win streak until their loss Friday evening to No. 7 Sayfetdinova/Komac of Texas Tech.
In singles against the Bulldogs, senior Casie Wooten (6-4, 6-3) and freshman Sankavi Gownder (6-2, 6-0) both improved to a 4-2 in singles play this spring and are tied for the most wins on the team. Sophomore Nevena Carton earned a 6-2, 6-3 win for her third win in dual play.
The Deacs are now 5-5 all-time against Yale and 2-1 on a neutral court. They have now won three-consecutive matches against the Bulldogs dating back to 2017.
The Demon Deacons dropped the doubles point to the Red Raiders Friday night.
Doubles Results vs. No. 25 Yale:
- Cruz/Killingsworth (WFU) def. Aggarwal/Ha (Yale) 6-3
- Blanch/Wooten (WFU) vs. No. 55 Guerry/Ogilvy (Yale) 3-4, unfinished
- Gownder/Pate (WFU) vs. Kim/Brettkelly (Yale) 1-1 (Yale retired)
Singles Results vs. No. 25 Yale:
- No. 26 Casie Wooten (WFU) def. Orly Ogilvy (Yale) 6-4, 6-3
- Brooke Killingsworth (WFU) vs. Mirabelle Brettkelly (Yale) 6-4, 3-2, unfinished
- Marcella Cruz (WFU) vs. Shyla Aggarwal (Yale) 6-2, 5-4, unfinished
- Nevena Carton (WFU) def. Erin Ha (Yale) 6-2, 6-3
- Sankavi Gownder (WFU) def. AnnWright Guerry (Yale) 6-2, 6-0
- Krystal Blanch (WFU) vs. Sophia Zaslow (Yale) 7-5, 3-2
Doubles Results vs. No. 22 Texas Tech:
- No. 7 Sayfetdinova/Komac (TTU) def. Cruz/Killingsworth (WFU) 7-5
- Tiglea/Polishchuk (TTU) def. Blanch/Wooten (WFU) 6-4
- Gownder/Pate (WFU) def. Sherif/Lila (TTU) 6-1
From Head Coach Jeff Wyshner
"What a gritty performance. We were down after losing the tough match to Texas Tech and then it got worse by losing the doubles point to Illinois. Then the whole group responded with as gritty of a performance in six singles matches that you can have. Casie, Brooke and Marcella really stepped up as seniors at a moment when we needed it most. We didn't know if Brooke and Marcella had anything left after the morning and they looked done in doubles, but they went out and played amazing matches. Casie was just great all weekend and then Sankavi closes it out in straight sets, which has been a bit of a challenge in the first 6 weeks. She didn't let an older player get that second set and force a third where anything can happen. Nevena and Krystal refused to give up a point and kept themselves in the battle, which helps Sankavi not feel all the pressure! Now, we come out of the weekend with two top-25 wins and we can turn the page to March having taken a step forward in February! We're excited to start ACC play on Friday. I hope people will come out Friday and Sunday, especially Sunday where we'll be giving out 50 Wake Forest Tennis sweatshirts!"
Next Up
The Demon Deacons will now return home for a pair of matches to open ACC play against Louisville and Notre Dame on Friday (March 1) and Sunday (March 3).
The match against the Cardinals is slated for 4 p.m. at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.
Follow the Deacs
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | GoDeacs.com
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,2,1
#1 Singles Match
12
66
Cristina Tiglea / 0 (59/-) [TTU]
13
#2 Singles Match
123
633
Mariya Polishchuk / 0 [TTU]
466
#3 Singles Match
12
65
Avelina Sayfetdinova / 0 [TTU]
77
#4 Singles Match
123
660
Kate Dmitrichenko / 0 [TTU]
46UF
#5 Singles Match
1234
7520
Metka Komac / 0 [TTU]
671UF
#6 Singles Match
12
55
Andreea Lila / 0 [TTU]
77
Order of Finish:
1,6,2,3
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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