March 24, 2016
By Joanne Norell
RALEIGH, N.C. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team dropped the first set on all six singles courts and could not overcome the setback Thursday, falling to North Carolina State 4-3 in an Atlantic Coast Conference contest at the J.W. Isenhour Tennis Center.
The No. 42 Irish (9-7, 3-4 ACC) started strong by winning the doubles point, claiming wins on Courts 1 and 3. No. 32 senior Quinn Gleason and junior Monica Robinson defeated Martina Frantova and Tayla Stenta 6-4 at the top slot, while sophomores Brooke Broda and Allison Miller upended Claudia Wiktorin and Amanda Rebol by the same score at No. 3.
But momentum swung to the No. 43 Wolfpack (10-5, 3-3 ACC) almost immediately once singles began as NC State’s contingent won the first set on every court. From there, the Wolfpack picked up two quick straight-set wins, then held on to the next two decisions despite being forced into third sets.
Broda fell first on Court 4 to Wiktorin 6-3, 6-1, while NC State took the lead as No. 63 Frantova downed No. 45 Gleason 7-6(3), 6-4 at No. 1. On Court 2, NC State’s Joanna Nalborska held on to beat a rallying No. 61 Robinson, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-4, then Bianca Maldovan clinched the win for the Wolfpack with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Miller at the No. 3 slot.
Notre Dame got points back in the final two decisions. Junior Mary Closs bested Rebol 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 on Court 5, while classmate Jane Fennelly defeated Stenta, who retired in the third set on Court 6.
The Irish return to action at 11 a.m. ET Saturday when they take on No. 4 North Carolina at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
No. 43 NC State 4, No. 42 Notre Dame 3
SINGLES
1. No. 63 Martina Frantova (NCSU) def. No 45 Quinn Gleason (ND) 7-6(3), 6-4
2. Joanna Nalborska (NCSU) def. No. 61 Monica Robinson (ND) 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-4
3. Bianca Moldovan (NCSU) def. Allison Miller, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
4. Claudia Wiktorin (NCSU) def. Brooke Broda 6-3, 6-1
5. Mary Closs (ND) def. Amanda Rebol (NCSU) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5
6. Jane Fennelly (ND) def. Tayla Stenta (NCSU) 4-6, 6-4, 2-3, ret.
DOUBLES
1. No. 32 Quinn Gleason / Monica Robinson (ND) def. Martina Frantova / Tayla Stenta (NCSU) 6-4
2. Bianca Moldovan / Joanna Nalborska (NCSU) def. Mary Closs / Julie Vrabel (ND) 6-0
3. Brooke Broda / Allison Miller (ND) def. Claudia Wiktorin / Amanda Rebol (NCSU) 6-4
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Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2013.