WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The quest for an NCAA title continued for Lauryn John-Baptiste and Ilze Hattingh and the two Sun Devils combined to take down a duo from N.C. State to advance to the Elite Eight Friday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
"Really happy for Lauryn and Ilze to become the program's newest All-Americans," associate head coach Matt Langley said. "They came out with really high energy and played aggressively and with confidence. The first set was probably their best tennis set of the season."
It was more of the same for the Sun Devils as they got off to another quick start, just like Thursday's first round match. They got up 5-1 early on the Wolfpack tandem, but this time stifled any comeback as they took the first set 6-1.
N.C. State came alive in the second set, though, and had the Devils in a back-and-forth duel that went to a tiebreak. The home-state representatives managed to take the set 7-6(4) to force a third.
"They continued this level and got up 2-0 early in the second set before conceding the break back," Langley said. "Credit to NC State for lifting their level from there. We still had opportunities to close it out and we got a little passive at times."
ASU started the third set slow, but got back into the driver's seat after a few off-color points and rolled through the final few points to take the set 10-6 and clinch a place in the NCAA quarterfinal.
"I'm really proud of how the girls rebounded and lifted their level again after losing the second set tiebreak," Langley said. "They played the match tiebreak with high energy and fearlessly so it was nice to see them get rewarded with the win."
With the win Friday, John-Baptiste/Hattingh become the first Sun Devil tandem to advance to the Elite Eight and earn All-America honors since Ebony Panoho and Alexandra Osborne did it in 2016.
The Devils will play for a spot in the national semifinal Saturday. Their opponent and the time of the match will be announced later in the day.
"Really happy for Lauryn and Ilze to become the program's newest All-Americans," associate head coach Matt Langley said. "They came out with really high energy and played aggressively and with confidence. The first set was probably their best tennis set of the season."
It was more of the same for the Sun Devils as they got off to another quick start, just like Thursday's first round match. They got up 5-1 early on the Wolfpack tandem, but this time stifled any comeback as they took the first set 6-1.
N.C. State came alive in the second set, though, and had the Devils in a back-and-forth duel that went to a tiebreak. The home-state representatives managed to take the set 7-6(4) to force a third.
"They continued this level and got up 2-0 early in the second set before conceding the break back," Langley said. "Credit to NC State for lifting their level from there. We still had opportunities to close it out and we got a little passive at times."
ASU started the third set slow, but got back into the driver's seat after a few off-color points and rolled through the final few points to take the set 10-6 and clinch a place in the NCAA quarterfinal.
"I'm really proud of how the girls rebounded and lifted their level again after losing the second set tiebreak," Langley said. "They played the match tiebreak with high energy and fearlessly so it was nice to see them get rewarded with the win."
With the win Friday, John-Baptiste/Hattingh become the first Sun Devil tandem to advance to the Elite Eight and earn All-America honors since Ebony Panoho and Alexandra Osborne did it in 2016.
The Devils will play for a spot in the national semifinal Saturday. Their opponent and the time of the match will be announced later in the day.