Singles Perfection Lifts Demon Deacons to Win Over Florida State

Sunday, March 8

Winston-Salem, N.C.

12 P.M.

Wake Forest University

Florida State

Photo by: Bryce Mitchell / Wake Forest Athletics

Singles Perfection Lifts Demon Deacons to Win Over Florida State

3/8/2026 4:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis

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Wake Forest earns its first ACC win of the season.

By: Joseph Baker

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After falling behind in doubles, Wake Forest played a flawless singles session en route to its first ACC win of the season. The Demon Deacons defeated Florida State, 4-1, to split the weekend against Miami and the Seminoles. Krystal Blanch was the hero, as she fought back from an early deficit to clinch the match for the Deacs.

Florida State got off to a hot start, winning the doubles session and then taking a first-set lead in four of the six singles matches. From that point on, however, it was all Wake Forest. Heidi Bulger and Sankavi Gownder were clinical, defeating their opponents in straight sets to put Wake Forest in front. Evie Oxford, Blanch and Nevena Carton all came back from opening-set defeats to force a third. Oxford earned her 11th win of the season to put the Deacs on the precipice of their first win of conference play.

Blanch sealed it after a long, arduous battle against Mary Boyce Deatherage. She won, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, and ended the match in favor of the Old Gold & Black. Carton and Kady Tannenbaum did not finish their matches. It was the Deacs' first undefeated singles performance since the win over UNC Greensboro (1/30).

Oxford and Gownder have been machines in singles play this season. The tandem of Texans are now a combined 20-2 (.909) in singles this year. Oxford has won 11 straight, while Gownder has not dropped a match since February 2.

Wake Forest will look to turn the win into a streak when it battles in-state rival North Carolina State on Wednesday, March 11. The No. 9 Wolfpack are still unbeaten in ACC play.

Doubles Results

Eva Shaw/Tina Li (FSU) def. Nevena Carton/Kady Tannenbaum (WFU), 6-3
Evie Oxford/Sankavi Gownder (WFU) vs. Abby Kelliher/Laura Putz (FSU), 5-5
Mary Boyce Deatherage/Cade Cricchio (FSU) def. Krystal Blanch/Aubrey Nisbet (WFU), 7-5

Order of finish: 1, 3

Singles Results

Nevena Carton (WFU) vs. Eva Shaw (FSU), 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) (unfinished)
Krystal Blanch (WFU) def. Mary Boyce Deatherage (FSU), 1-6, 7-5, 6-4
Laura Putz (FSU) vs Kady Tannenbaum (WFU), 6-4, 6-6 (unfinished)
Heidi Bulger (WFU) def. Kristyna Lavickova (FSU), 6-1, 6-4
Evie Oxford (WFU) def. Tina Li (FSU), 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
Sankavi Gownder (WFU) def. Cade Cricchio (FSU), 6-3, 6-2

Order of finish: 6, 4, 5, 2

How It Happened

Florida State's top duo of Shaw/Li jumped out to an early 5-1 lead and would win the first match of the doubles session.
The Seminoles picked up the opening point after Deatherage and Cricchio won a hard-fought match over Blanch and Nisbet
Florida State carried its momentum into singles, taking an opening-set lead on four of the six courts in singles.
Gownder dominated, winning in straight sets to even the score at 1-1.
After first-set defeats, both Oxford and Blanch bounced back to win the second set and force a deciding third.
Bulger wrapped up a win over Lavickova to put Wake Forest ahead, 2-1.
Oxford completed her comeback, winning both sets two and three 6-1, and gave the Deacs a 3-1 lead.
Carton battled to earn a tiebreak win over Shaw and force a third set on court one.
Blanch secured the win for the Deacs with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over Deatherage.
- Wake Forest went 4-0 in singles.

From Coach Wyshner
"Really impressed with and happy for this group today. There were so many moments when we could have folded in matches today, places where momentum was against us, and we responded with a lot of heart and grit! I knew it was going to be a tough doubles point, but Evie and Sankavi were counted on to put us up 2-1 [in singles] and they did it; particular credit to Evie for not panicking after losing the first set. Then, the top four matches were just battles. We talk all the time about closing out matches where we win the first set and extending matches to a third set in those we don't. Today, we were able to do exactly that! It was a great closeout from Heidi, and then Krystal held serve something like 10-or-11 of her last 12 service games and played a great game returning serve at 5-4 in the 3rd. Important win for us; looking forward to what's next!"

Up Next
Wake Forest wraps up its three-match homestand with a rivalry match against No. 9 NC State. The Deacs lead the all-time series, 48-17, but Wolfpack have won the last 11 meetings. First serve is set for 12 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11.