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CARY, N.C. — The No. 59 Virginia Tech women’s tennis team topped No. 72 N.C. State 4-3 in the first round of the ACC Championship at the Cary Tennis Park on Wednesday afternoon behind three three-set wins.

N.C. State tallied the first point of the day in doubles. Joelle Kissell and Sophie Nelson topped Ilinca Stoica and Kelly Williford 8-4 at No. 1, but Tech evened the doubles matches as Carol Kahoun and Raluca Mita teamed up for the victory over Rachael James-Baker and Liza Fieldsend 8-7 (6). The Wolfpack claimed the doubles point with Nicole Martinez and Elisha Hande’s 8-5 win over Francesca Fusinato and Sansitha Nandakumar.

The Wolfpack extended their lead to 2-0 as Kissell defeated Stoica 6-2, 6-2 in the No. 1 slot.

However, the Hokies came back to even the score with wins at No. 3 and No. 6. Williford’s 6-1, 6-3 win over Hande at No. 3 put Tech on the board. Nandakumar added a 6-2, 6-4 victory against Nelson in the No. 6 spot to add the Hokies’ second point of the afternoon.

Isel Martinez-Marcos tallied Tech’s first three-set win of the day over Fieldsend 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 at No. 5 to give the Hokies their first lead of the day.

The Wolfpack quickly evened the match as James-Baker topped Fusinato 6-1, 6-7, 6-2 at No. 2.

Mita clinched the Hokie victory in dramatic fashion. She tallied a 6-3, 6-7, 6-2 victory over Martinez at No. 4 and pushed Tech into the second round.

Tech will take on sixth-seed Georgia Tech tomorrow at 3 p.m. at the Cary Tennis Park.

Doubles

No. 1 Joelle Kissell/Sophie Nelson (NCSU) def. Ilinca Stoica/Kelly Williford (VT) 8-4

No. 2 Carol Kahoun/Raluca Mita (VT) def. Rachael James-Baker/Liza Fieldsend (NCSU) 8-7 (6)

No. 3 Elisha Hande/Nicole Martinez (NCSU) def. Francesca Fusinato/Sansitha Nandakumar (VT) 8-5

Order of finish: 1,2,3*

Singles

No. 1 Joelle Kissell (NCSU) def. Ilinca Stoica (VT) 6-2, 6-2

No. 2 Rachael James-Baker (NCSU) def. Francesca Fusinato (VT) 6-1, 6-7, 6-2

No. 3 Kelly Williford (VT) def. Elisha Hande (NCSU) 6-1, 6-3

No. 4 Raluca Mita (VT) def. Nicole Martinez (NCSU) 6-3, 6-7, 6-2

No. 5 Isel Martinez-Marcos (VT) def. Liza Fieldsend (NCSU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

No. 6 Sansitha Nandakumar (VT) def. Sophie Nelson (NCSU) 6-2, 6-4

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

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