CARY, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University doubles team of senior Sebastian Pino and sophomore Shaka Cristellotti rallied for a first-round victory to account for the only maroon and gray victory in the 2021 ITA Carolina Regional Championship hosted by Duke University at the Cary Tennis Center from Friday-Tuesday, Oct. 22-26.
 
Pino and Cristellotti notched the win in their doubles debut together, knocking off a tandem from Charlotte. After dropping the first set, Pino and Cristellotti fought back to win the match over redshirt freshman Abhimanyu Vannemreddy and sophomore Luke Thomson in a third-set super set. Pino and Cristellotti advanced with the 2-6, 6-3, 11-9 triumph before being knocked out in the second round by a powerful team from University of South Carolina.
 
Cristellotti and Pino both drew preseason nationally ranked opponents from the USC Gamecocks to begin play in the singles main draw. Cristellotti lost 6-0, 6-1 to sophomore Connor Thomson, ranked 16th in the ITA Division I Men's Singles Preseason Rankings. Pino had nearly the same fate, losing 6-0, 6-3 to junior Raphael Lambling, who started the season with a ranking of 39th nationally.
 
Senior Amit Baran was the only other Eagle to complete in the big fall event that featured more than 128 regional competitors. Baran attempted to rally in his opening match, but fell short in a 6-0, 7-5 loss to Clemson University sophomore Spencer Whitaker.
 
All three NCCU individuals lost in their first consolation singles matches, with Baran losing to Coastal Carolina University, Cristellotti slipping up to Davidson College and Pino being eliminated by Wofford College.
 
NCCU will announce its spring 2022 schedule before play starts in late January. Fans are encouraged to visit NCCUEaglePride.com for the most up-to-date information throughout the season.  
 
NCCU Results at the ITA Carolina Regional:
 
Singles
Spencer Whitaker (Clemson) def. Amit Baran (NCCU), 6-0, 7-5
Guilherme Toresan (Coastal Carolina) def. Amit Baran (NCCU), 6-2, 6-1
 
[16] Connor Thomson (USC) def. Shaka Cristellotti (NCCU), 6-0, 6-1
Udday Singh (Davidson) def. Shaka Cristellotti (NCCU), 6-2, 6-2
 
[39] Raphael Lambling (USC) def. Sebastian Pino (NCCU), 6-0, 6-3
Callum Rendle (Wofford) def. Sebastian Pino (NCCU), 6-4, 6-1
 
Doubles
Sebastian Pino/Shaka Cristellotti (NCCU) def. A. Vannemreddy/L. Thomson (Charlotte), 2-6, 6-3 [11-9]
Connor Thomson/Toby Samuel (USC) def. Sebastian Pino/Shaka Cristellotti (NCCU), 6-1, 6-0