SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The energy and competitiveness would start high and remain that way for more than 3 hours and 15 mins before the day was over. Beginning with doubles, the #2 doubles team of Connor Fu and Peter Conklin came out hot and after building a quick lead, would lock up a 6-2 win. After #3 doubles lost, all eyes would turn to the top court where Matt Halpin and Jean-Marc Malkowski would take on the #19 ranked doubles team in the country in Robin Catry and Luca Staeheli. After holding serve for 8-straight games, the Irish duo would break on their 3rd break point of the game to go up 5-4 and have a chance to serve for the doubles point. Sophomore Malkowski would step to the line and he and Halpin would put the Irish up 1-0.
In singles, NC State would claim the first three courts of singles to take a 3-1 lead. Braeden Ho at #6 singles and Peter Conklin at #4 singles would both fall in straight sets. Connor Fu, playing on the #3 singles court, would respond to losing the first set and take the second to force the decider but ultimately lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
The Wolfpack had the lead but the match was far from over as the remaining matches on court would all go the distance, keeping the battle going for an hour more. Jean-Marc Malkowski would back up his doubles win and come from a break down in the third set to win 6-2, 3-6, 7-5. Shortly after, Addy Vashistha would pick up a ranked win over the #82 ranked singles player in the country 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to bring Notre Dame even at 3-3.
With the match tied, all eyes would turn to court #2 as Matt Che battling his opponent, Luca Staeheli. A very tight 7-5 first set went to the Wolfpack to start the day but Che would respond with a 6-4 win of his own to extend the match. The level in the third set would be the highest from both players as they went back and forth but would ultimately go the way of NC State would would walk away with the 4-3 win.
Up Next:
Notre Dame will play their final two regular season ACC matches this coming week. On Wednesday, April 6th the Irish will host #27 ranked Louisville at 4pm. Then they will take a quick trip up to Boston to play Boston College on Friday afternoon to conclude ACC play.
Box Score
#23 NC State 4 – #26 Notre Dame 3
Doubles
- Halpin/Malkowski(ND) def. #19 Catry/Staeheli(NCST) 6-4
- Conklin/Fu(ND) def. C. Shick/Van Sambeek(NCST) 6-2
- B. Shick/Schrader(NCST) def. Che/Vashistha(ND) 6-3
Singles
- Vashistha(ND) def. #82 Rafa Izquierdo Luque(NCST) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
- Staeheli(NCST) def. Che(ND) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3
- Rocens(NCST) def. Fu(ND) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
- #108 Catry(NCST) def. Conklin(ND) 7-6(8), 6-4
- Malkowski(ND) def. Van Sambeek(NCST) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
- B. Shick(NCST) def. Ho(ND) 6-2, 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles(2, 3, 1); Singles (6, 4, 3, 5, 1, 2)