Feb. 18, 2005
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The 23rd-ranked University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team (9-2) posted a 5-2 victory over #40 Northwestern (5-4) Friday night in the Eck Tennis Pavilion. The Wildcats won the doubles point, but the Irish fought back, winning three singles matches in straight sets before junior Patrick Buchanan (Fullerton, Calif./Servite H.S.) prevailed in three sets to clinch the victory. The victory was the 600th in the illustrious 36-year career of Notre Dame head coach Bob Bayliss.
With his team leading 3-2 and the other remaining match left on court embroiled in a hard-fought second set, Buchanan outlasted Matt Christian for a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 triumph at No. 6 to hand Notre Dame the victory. It was a turnaround from the last time Northwestern came to Notre Dame, a match which saw the Irish squander a 3-1 lead and the Wildcats win a trio of three-setters – one against Buchanan – to snap a six-match losing streak in the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
Bayliss became just the fourth active Division I coach to register 600 career wins, joining Paul Scarpa of Furman, Rich Gugat of Air Force, and Rice’s Ron Smarr. Bayliss’ career record now stands at 600-243 (.711), including a 318-149 (.680) mark in his current post.
Notre Dame sophomore Irackli Akhvlediani (Vienna, Austria/Vienna International School) got the Irish on the scoreboard, finishing first with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Adam Schaechterle at No. 5. His classmate, 78th-ranked Stephen Bass (Bronxville, N.Y./Iona Preparatory School), then finished a 6-4, 6-2 win against Chuck Perrin at No. 2 to put Notre Dame ahead.
Next off was 112th-ranked sophomore Barry King (Dublin, Ireland/Gonzaga College), who beat Christian Tempke 6-3, 6-0 at No. 3 to put the Irish within a point of victory. Northwestern struck back when 114th-ranked Tommy Hanus edged senior co-captain Brent D’Amico (Castle Rock, Colo./St. Stephen’s Episcopal School [TX]) 7-6, 7-6 at No. 1. After Buchanan’s win, Irish rookie Sheeva Parbhu (Omaha, Neb./Millard North H.S.) prevailed in a match tiebreaker against Willy Lock at No. 4, winning 6-7, 7-6, 1-0.
D’Amico and sophomore Ryan Keckley (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph’s H.S.) led off the doubles with a victory at No. 1 over Perrin and Tempke by an 8-4 score. But Lock and Justin Hoeveler struck back by downing Buchanan and King 8-5 at No. 3 to put the match in the hands of the No. 2 squads. In that match, it was Hanus and Schaechterle posting an 8-5 win over Parbhu and junior Eric Langenkamp (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale H.S.).
#23 Notre Dame 5, #40 Northwestern 2
Singles
No. 1: #114 Tommy Hanus (NU) def. Brent D’Amico (I) 7-6, 7-6
No. 2: #78 Stephen Bass (ND) def. Chuck Perrin (I) 6-4, 6-2
No. 3: #112 Barry King (ND) def. Christian Tempke (I) 6-3, 6-0
No. 4: Sheeva Parbhu (ND) def. Willy Lock (I) 6-7, 7-6, 1-0
No. 5: Irackli Akhvlediani (ND) def. Adam Schaechterle (I) 6-4, 6-3
No. 6: Patrick Buchanan (ND) def. Matt Christian (I) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
Order of Finish: 5, 2, 3, 1, 6*, 4
Doubles
No. 1: Brent D’Amico/Keckley (ND) def. Perrin/Tempke (I) 8-4
No. 2: Hanus/Schaechterle (NU) def. Eric Langenkamp/Parbhu (I) 8-5
No. 3: Lock/Hoeveler (NU) def. Buchanan/King (I) 8-5
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2*
* – indicates clinching victory