March 13, 2005
PROVO, Utah – Playing without one of its top players in singles, the 22nd-ranked University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team (6-6) dropped a 6-1 decision at #24 Brigham Young (10-2) Saturday afternoon at the BYU Courts. The Irish, without the singles services of No. 3 player Christian Thompson (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman H.S.), got victories at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles, but could manage no other wins in the final match of their spring-break trip.
Sophomore Catrina Thompson (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman H.S.) was involved in both of the bright spots for Notre Dame. She first paired with her twin sister, Christian, for an 8-0 victory over the 56th-ranked team of Lauren Jones and Dolly Chang at No. 1 doubles. The Thompsons, ranked #2 in the nation, improved to 19-3 on the season, including 11-1 in dual-match action at No. 1 and 8-1 outdoors. They are 13-2 against nationally-ranked teams.
In singles, Catrina Thompson, ranked 32nd nationally, beat Lauren Jones 6-2, 6-2 at the top spot to provide Notre Dame’s lone point. She has now won six of her last eight matches to improve to 14-5 on the season, including 8-4 in dual action at No. 1. Thompson is 10-1 in road action, as well as 13-0 when taking the opening set and 10-2 vs. lower-ranked players.
Notre Dame lost the doubles point for just the second time this season. At No. 2, the team of Anastasia Surkova and Jenny Miccoli topped Irish junior Lauren Connelly (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness H.S.) and freshman Brook Buck (Yukon, Okla./Oklahoma Christian School) 8-5. Olga Boulytcheva and Sofia Holden were victorious by the same score at No. 3, downing Notre Dame senior captain Sarah Jane Connelly (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness H.S.) and junior Kristina Stastny (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph’s Academy).
Lauren Connelly was the lone Irish player other than Thompson to win a set in singles. She rallied from dropping a first-set tiebreaker against Holden to force a third set, but eventually fell 7-6, 2-6, 6-2 at No. 4. Junior Liz Donohue (Sioux Falls, S.D./O’Gorman H.S.) dropped a tight match at No. 6 against Chang by scores of 7-6, 7-6. She is now winless in three tiebreakers this season.
Boulytcheva upset Buck, ranked 59th, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 2, while Stastny – playing up a spot in the lineup – lost 6-0, 6-2 to Surkova at No. 3. Miccoli defeated Sarah Jane Connelly 6-1, 6-1 at No. 5.
#24 Brigham Young 6, #22 Notre Dame 1
Singles
No. 1: #32 Catrina Thompson (ND) def. Lauren Jones (BYU) 6-2, 6-2
No. 2: Olga Boulytcheva (BYU) def. #59 Brook Buck (ND) 6-3, 6-4
No. 3: Anastasia Surkova (BYU) def. Kristina Stastny (ND) 6-0, 6-2
No. 4: Sofia Holden (BYU) def. Lauren Connelly (ND) 7-6, 2-6, 6-2
No. 5: Jenny Miccoli (BYU) def. Sarah Jane Connelly (ND) 6-1, 6-1
No. 6: Dolly Chang (BYU) def. Liz Donohue (ND) 7-6, 7-6
Doubles
No. 1: #2 Thompson/Thompson (ND) def. #56 Jones/Chang (BYU) 8-0
No. 2: Surkova/Miccoli (BYU) def. Buck/L. Connelly (ND) 8-5
No. 3: Boulytcheva/Holden (BYU) def. S.J. Connelly/Stastny (ND) 8-5