NC Science & Math returning to finals after shutting out Carrboro
If they hadn’t seen it coming, Carrboro’s Jaguars might have been more upset at losing to the N.C. School of Science & Math for a third straight year in the 2A dual-team tennis state semifinals.
N.C. Science & Math (12-0), which hasn’t dropped a set so far in the N.C. High School Athletics Association tournament, blanked Carrboro 5-0 in a match that took 75 minutes to clinch at Durham’s Whippoorwill Park. And the Unicorns did it with two undefeated starters missing in action – Rosemary Yin at No. 3 singles and Jennifer Zou at No. 4.
Yin was at a major science competition Thursday, and Zou was taking entrance exams for Oxford University.
Thursday’s victory was NCSSM’s third straight against Carrboro in the state 2A East region final.
“Carrboro is a very good program – both boys and girls,” NCSSM coach Richard McClenny said. “We know we’re always going to meet them in the state semifinals, so this win was very satisfying.”
Carrboro (15-3) also was missing an erstwhile starter; former No. 1 Jesse Ille had quit the team in midseason and withdrawn in her sophomore year from Carrboro to attend a North Carolina tennis academy year-round.
“I’m not at all sure we would have beaten them, even with Jesse,” Carrboro coach Jon Noyes said. “They (NCSSM) are a great program. They are always so solid.”
Noyes approached Carrboro’s No. 1 singles player Thursday, Abby Rader (13-2 overall), and asked how she did against NCSSM’s Sara Yuan (7-0).
“Better than last year – 6-0, 6-1,” Rader said with a smile as Noyes gave her a high five. “Way to go,” he said.
NCSSM junior Grace Miller, moved up from No. 8 to play at No. 6, was the lone Unicorn in jeopardy of losing a set Thursday. After winning her first set 6-4, Miller trailed Carrboro’s Izzy Chung 2-3 in the second as play ended near sunset, with the team match already decided.
The Unicorns won the top five singles in straight sets. Annie Xie won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2; Katherine Li won at No. 3, 6-2, 6-0; Vinitha Ravindran won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 4; and Anameeka Singh won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5.
A three-time state champion, NCSSM was waiting to learn its opponent in the state championship match, but was expecting to see Lake Norman, the team that defeated the Unicorns in last year’s finals. Lake Norman was 16-0 after winning its 33rd straight match this week, but the Wildcats still had to play the winner of Thursday’s Hendersonville-Salisbury quarterfinal before Saturday’s final could be set.
This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 7:05 PM with the headline "NC Science & Math returning to finals after shutting out Carrboro."