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BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech women’s tennis team played its final home match of the season this afternoon, hosting the Wolfpack of North Carolina State University on Senior Day at the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center. The Wolfpack got off to a great start, sweeping the doubles competition and winning the first four singles matches to defeat the Hokies, 6-1. The win lifts the Wolfpack to 12-7 (3-6 ACC), while the Hokies slip to 10-12 (2-7 ACC).

The Wolfpack opened the match with a decisive sweep of the doubles competition. #26 Sanaa Bhambri and Sandhya Nagaraj began with an 8-2 defeat over Virginia Tech’s senior duo #76 Yasmin Hamza (Cairo, Egypt)) and Holly Johnson (Tallahassee, Fla.). Joelle Kissell and Ashley Miller then clinched the first Wolfpack point, defeating Tech’s Shannon Betts (Jr., Newnan, Ga.) and Katie Blow (Jr., Richmond, Va.), 8-2. Tatiana Illova and Lenka Hojckova completed the sweep with a 7-6 victory over Martha Blakely (Jr., Reading, Pa.) and Courtney Rauscher (Jr., Evans, Ga.).

The Wolfpack opened the singles competition by winning the first four matches. #83 Nagaraj earned the first point at the No. 3 spot, defeating Tea Ivanovic (Fr., Antwerp, Belgium) 6-2, 6-2. Hojckova then downed Holly Johnson, 6-1, 6-1 in No. 5 singles, and #29 Bhambri earned the clincher, defeating Hamza, 6-1, 6-4, at the No. 1 spot. Kissell made it 5-0 with a victory over Betts, 6-2, 6-3, in No. 4 singles, before Isel Martinez-Marcos (Fr., Esparreguera, Spain) picked up a point for Tech with a 7-6, 6-0 win over Chloe Smith in the No. 6 spot. Illova then earned the final point for the Wolfpack, winning the No. 2 singles match, 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(2).

The Hokies will close out the regular season on the road next weekend, as they travel to Atlanta on Saturday, April 16 to face Georgia Tech, followed by the final match of the season at Clemson on Sunday. Both matches are scheduled to begin at noon.

#30 North Carolina State 6, #56 Virginia Tech 1

Singles

1. #29 Sanaa Bhambri (NS) def. Yasmin Hamza (VT) 6-1, 6-4

2. Tatiana Illova (NS) def. Martha Blakely (VT) 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(2)

3. #83 Sandhya Nagaraj (NS) def. Tea Ivanovic (VT) 6-2, 6-2

4. Joelle Kissell (NS) def. Shannon Betts (VT) 6-2, 6-3

5. Lenka Hojckova (NS) def. Holly Johnson (VT) 6-1, 6-1

6. Isel Martinez-Marcos (VT) def. Chloe Smith (NS) 7-6, 6-0

Order of finish: 3, 5, 1*, 4, 6, 2

Doubles

1. #26 Bhambri/Nagaraj (NS) def. #76 Hamza/Johnson (VT) 8-2

2. Illova/Hojckova (NS) def. Blakely/Courtney Rauscher (VT) 7-6

3. Kissell/Ashley Miller (NS) def. Betts/Katie Blow (VT) 8-2

Order of finish: 1, 3*, 2

*clinching point

For updates on Virginia Tech women's tennis, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_WTennis).