Baylor
North Carolina State
Resilient Bears Advance in NCAA Championships
5/11/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation
Trailing for all but the last few minutes of Friday's 3-hour, 42-minute match, the 25th-ranked Baylor women's tennis team pulled out four three-setters in a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory over No. 36 North Carolina State in the first round of the NCAA Championships.
The Wolfpack (17-15) jumped out to a 3-0 lead by claiming the opening doubles point and picking up straight-set victories from Adriana Reami and Claudia Wiktorin at Nos. 2 and 4 singles, respectively.
With one foot out the door and the remaining matches all in third sets, Baylor pulled off the miracle finish with wins by Angie Shakhraichuk, Livia Kraus and Theresa Van Zyl and the clincher by freshman Kris Sorokolet at No. 3.
"The circumstances were completely against us (the whole time) we were behind in the match," said coach Joey Scrivano, whose team improved to 18-13 with its 14th consecutive NCAA first-round victory.
"But, we have some really gritty players on our team and they refused to lose today or give up. I'm really proud of them."
Baylor advances to play 14th-ranked and 12th-seeded UCLA (21-5) at 5 p.m. CDT Saturday. The Bruins dropped just one set in a 4-0 win over Fresno State in the other first-round match at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
"They've grown so much over the course of the season. To win any kind of match in postseason is such a great experience," Scrivano said. "We're excited about tomorrow, and we're also excited about our future and what they can accomplish down the road."
Shakhraichuk started the Bears on the comeback trail and put the first point on the board, dominating the third set in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 win over Tayla Stenta at No. 6.
Kraus, named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team earlier this week, followed suit and closed the gap even further with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Bianca Moldovan at No. 5. Then, Van Zyl recorded her first win over a ranked opponent this season, beating 100th-ranked Anna Rogers, 6-0, 4-6, 6-4, at No. 1 to tie it up at 3-3.
"Theresa being a senior and being in situations like that over the last three years helped her today," Scrivano said of Van Zyl, who had lost to all eight ranked players she had faced this year. "I was so proud of her. She's had a challenging season playing No. 1 singles and having to play against the best in the country week-in and week-out. I love that she kept believing and doing the right thing. It was a huge win."
With all eyes shifting to Court 3, Sorokolet clinched it by winning the last three games to beat Taylor Bridges, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.
"I really believe that players like Livia and Kristina have so much grit," Scrivano said. "They could have easily given up today and let go, but they chose to keep fighting."
Baylor improved to 35-20 all-time in the NCAA Championships, including a 32-14 mark under Scrivano.
THE RUNDOWN
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- For the 14th consecutive season, the 25th-ranked Baylor women's tennis program will play in the second round of the NCAA Championships. After falling behind, 3-0, the Bears clawed their way back to edge 36th-ranked NC State, 4-3, at Los Angeles Tennis Center Friday afternoon.
The Wolfpack jumped ahead with doubles wins on courts one and two and carried the positive momentum into singles play. NC State recorded wins on courts two and four to extend its advantage to 3-0 over the Bears.
Sophomore Angelina Shakhraichuk put Baylor on the board, securing a three-set win on court six, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, against Tayla Stenta. Freshman Livia Kraus turned the tide for the Bears, following with another victory in three sets, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, against Bianca Moldovan on court five. The result extends her win streak to nine-straight singles matches.
Senior Theresa Van Zyl, who was fighting for to play another match in the Green and Gold, set Baylor up for the win with an upset victory in three sets, 6-0, 4-6, 6-4, over 100th-ranked Anna Rogers on court one. It marked her first win over a ranked foe this season.
Each team's fate came down to the match on court three, featuring freshman Kristina Sorokolet and Taylor Bridges. Sorokolet won the first set, 6-4, but fell in a tight second set, 7-5. With the result up for grabs, Sorokolet rose to the occasion to clinch the victory, 6-3, for the Bears.
TOP QUOTES
"The circumstances were completely against us for the three hours and 55 minutes. We were behind in the match, but we have some really gritty players on our team and they refused to lose today or give up. I'm really proud of them." -- Head coach Joey Scrivano on the team's resilience
"They've grown so much over the course of the season. To win any kind of match in the postseason is such a great experience. I really believe that players like Livia and Kristina have so much grit. They could have easily given up today and let go, but they chose to keep fighting. We're excited about tomorrow, and we're also excited about their future and what they can accomplish down the road." -- Head coach Joey Scrivano on his young team earning an NCAA win
"Theresa being a senior and being in situations like that over the course of the last three years helped her today. I was so proud of her. She's had a challenging season playing No. 1 singles and having to play against the best in the country week in and week out. I love that she kept believing and doing the right thing. It was a huge win." -- Head coach Joey Scrivano on Theresa Van Zyl's upset victory
OTHER NOTABLES
- Baylor is 18-13 this season.
- With the win over the Wolfpack, the Bears advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championships for the 14th consecutive season.
- Baylor is 35-20 all-time in the NCAA Championships, including a 32-14 mark under head coach Joey Scrivano.
- The Bears faced their 19th ranked opponent of the season in 36th-ranked NC State, securing its eighth ranked win this year.
- Freshman Kristina Sorokolet clinched the match for Baylor with a three-set win on court three, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.
- Senior Theresa Van Zyl registered her first win over a ranked opponent of the season, besting 100th-ranked Anna Rogers, 6-0, 4-6, 6-4, on court one.
- Freshman Livia Kraus notched her ninth singles win in a row with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Bianca Moldovan on court five.
UP NEXT
Baylor will meet 14th-ranked UCLA in the second round of the NCAA Championships on Saturday, May 12 at Los Angeles Tennis Center. First serve is set for 5 p.m. (CT).
Fans can follow the match through live stats, a link to which is available on the women's tennis schedule page at www.baylorbears.com. For additional behind the scenes postseason content, follow the team's social media accounts (@BaylorWTennis on Twitter and Instagram, /BaylorWTennis on Facebook).
Players Mentioned
