Orange Storm Back to Knock Off #65 Wake Forest

Friday, March 27

Winston-Salem, N.C.

4 p.m.

Syracuse University

Wake Forest

3/27/2026 7:59:00 PM | Tennis

Box Score

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Syracuse University women's tennis team stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to stun No. 65 Wake Forest 4-3 on Friday afternoon at the Wake Forest Tennis Center.

The Orange (6-8, 2-5) fought valiantly but ultimately came out on the wrong side in doubles play. Krystal Blanch and Aubrey Nisbet knocked off Constance Levivier and Leena Bennetto 6-2 to give the Demon Deacons an early advantage. Serafima Shastova and Monika Wojcik responded quickly, winning 6-3 over Sankavi Gownder and Evie Oxford to set up a winner-take-all match at No. 1 doubles. Nevena Carton and Kady Tannenbaum triumphed in a marathon of a match, defeating Nelly Knezkova and Anastasia Sysoeva 7-5 to secure the doubles point.

Shastova carried her strong run of play over to singles action, making quick work of Blanch 6-2, 6-0 to level the contest. Gownder pulled the lead back for the Demon Deacons with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Emma Scaldalai. Carton picked up a third point for Wake Forest, claiming a 7-6, 6-3 triumph over Sysoeva. However, it was all 'Cuse from this point on. Knezkova got the comeback effort started after defeating Oxford 6-4, 1-6, 6-1. Bennetto leveled the contest at 3-3, posting a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Tannenbaum. Bennetto's victory set up a winner-take-all match at No. 4 singles between Wojcik and Heidi Bulger. After dropping the first set, Wojcik found herself down 4-5 in the second set and facing match point. She won the point to continue the match, then secured the tiebreak to force a third set. Wojcik then triumphed 6-3 in the third set to secure the match for the Orange.

Syracuse closes out the weekend at No. 9 NC State on Sunday. The first doubles serve is slated for 11 a.m. at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center.

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