The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/916614
JANUARY 2018 ■ 91 "It is a little bit of a neck-and-neck race right now." Earnshaw noted that the difference be- tween playing No. 1 and No. 2 singles is that many of the No. 1 players in the ACC are ranked nationally. Twelve of the top 50 players in the country per ITATennis.com reside in the conference. "There are absolutely no gimmes [at No. 1 singles] and you have to be mentally tough every time," Earnshaw said. "It will also be populated by upperclassmen as well. "At No. 3 or No. 4, it's about consistency in performance. Generally, they could be a great player, but aren't playing their best at that point in time. Chances are that the No. 1 player is playing their best tennis at that time." Wiktorin and Moldovan played together at No. 2 doubles last year, but both will be adjusting to new partners this season. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Olde Raleigh Financial Group is not a registered broker/dealer, and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. 17-BR8HO-0014 TA 4/17 F I N A N C I A L G R O U P Proud supporter of NC State Wolfpack Club TREVOR CHAMBERS Financial Advisor ALEX MIHAJLOV Branch Manager KATHY DUCKWORTH Registered Sales Assistant BLAKE PARO Financial Advisor NCSU Class of 2003 3110 Edwards Mill Road, Suite 340 Raleigh, NC 27612 T 919.861.8212 www.olderaleighfinancial.com GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER AN INDEPENDENT AGENT HAS FREEDOM OF CHOICE. IS YOUR INSURANCE AGENT FREE TO GET YOU A BETTER DEAL? Free to do what's right for you. SM Bill Vogedes 252-482-4429 www.vogedesinsurance.com AN INDEPENDENT AGENT HAS FREEDOM OF CHOICE. IS YOUR INSURANCE AGENT FREE TO GET YOU A BETTER DEAL? Free to do what's right for you. SM Bill Vogedes 252-482-4429 www.vogedesinsurance.com Three Players To Watch Junior Bianca Moldovan Moldovan will again be a crucial player for the Wolfpack this season. She went 21-13 overall last year in singles action, including 12-7 at the No. 5 spot. She formed a strong duo with junior Claudia Wiktorin at No. 2 doubles, going 15-8. They also won twice at No. 1 doubles. Sophomore Anna Rogers Rogers made an immediate impact last year. She was named third-team All-ACC and voted the team MVP en route to qualifying for the NCAA Champi- onships with her doubles partner Martina Frantova. The duo reached the Sweet 16, which is the most success by a women's doubles team in NC State his- tory, and went 27-2 overall, including 23-1 at No. 1 doubles. Rogers went 25-14 in singles last year and 8-5 at No. 2 singles. Junior Claudia Wiktorin Wiktorin is the lone North Carolina product on the roster. The Davidson native played doubles mainly with Moldovan. She went 6-10 at No. 2 singles and 8-4 at No. 3 singles en route to a 20-19 overall mark last year. She will be paired with soph- omore Anna Rogers in No. 1 doubles this spring, and she had a strong fall that earned her a No. 61 national rankings in singles. ■ Key Matches • At North Carolina, Feb. 21 — UNC finished ranked No. 5 in the country last spring and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual runner-up Stanford. • At Texas Tech, Feb. 25 — The Red Raiders finished ranked No. 7 in the country last year, were seeded No. 6 in the tournament and reached the quarterfinals before falling to Ohio State. • ACC Championships at Cary, N.C., April 25-29 — The ACC is expected to be stacked again, with North Carolina (No. 5 ranking last year), Georgia Tech (No. 9), Duke (No. 12) and Miami (No. 25) coming off strong years.