Oct. 28, 2003
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Notre Dame senior Alicia Salas (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek H.S.) lost 6-2, 6-2 to #4 Cristelle Grier of Northwestern Tuesday morning in the singles final of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Midwest Championships in the West Hills Athletic Club. Despite the loss, Salas gained an automatic berth to the second leg of the collegiate tennis grand slam, the National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships to be played Nov. 6-9 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
“Alicia played well today and had a great tournament, but Grier is playing really well right now, especially indoors,” said Irish head coach Jay Louderback of the match.
The final pitted the top two seeds in the tournament against each other, with the favorite prevailing. Grier, a native of Surrey, England, was the top-ranked player in the Midwest Region a year ago, compiling a 38-7 record, including 23-0 at No. 1 singles.
By reaching the singles final, both Grier and Salas earned automatic berths to the 32-player singles draw of the National Indoor Championships. Salas is the first Irish player to gain entrance to the tournament since the 2000-01 season, when current Notre Dame assistant coach Michelle Dasso reached the semifinals when the event was contested in February.
Salas is 11-4 this fall, with her defeats coming against the Nos. 4, 7, 8, and 27 in the nation. She has eight victories against ranked foes.
While Salas is in the National Indoor Championships, the rest of the Irish will conclude their fall seaason Nov. 7-9 at the Illinois Midwest Blast in Champaign, Ill.
ITA Midwest Championships
Singles – Championship
[1] #4 Cristelle Grier (Northwestern) d. [2] #63 Alicia Salas (Notre Dame) 6-2, 6-2
Note: Tournament seeding in brackets followed by national ranking.