April 7, 2017
By Joanne Norell
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The doubles point proved critical in a key Atlantic Coast Conference match-up between the No. 29 Notre Dame women’s tennis team and No. 15 Duke on Friday, with the Blue Devils eking out a 4-3 victory despite a furious comeback bid for the Irish.
The Irish (16-4, 7-3 ACC) dropped the doubles point and fell behind 3-0 before winning three straight matches to tie the team score. But it was Duke (14-3, 8-0 ACC), that clinched the critical point to seal the win.
How It Happened
The doubles point went to Duke after the Blue Devils picked up wins at the top and bottom of the lineup. After Ellyse Hamlin and Samantha Harris defeated Irish pair Jane Fennelly and Zoe Spence at No. 3, juniors Brooke Broda and Allison Miller snared a 6-1 victory over Chalena Scholl and Alyssa Smith on Court 2 to even the plane. The Blue Devils secured the point, however, on a win by No. 35 Meible Chi and Kaitlyn McCarthy over seniors Mary Closs and Monica Robinson.
Duke snatched the next two points to go up 3-0, with Chi downing Broda in straight sets on Court 2 and McCarthy besting Spence on Court 3.
The Irish found themselves up to the task though, taking three straight matches to set the stage for a final-match decider. No. 71-ranked Robinson upended No. 65 Harris 7-5, 6-1 at No. 1 for her 14th win of the year. She was followed by sophomore Rachel Chong with a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 6 over Hamlin. Closs provided the tying point, winning 6-4, 7-6(2) over Smith.
Though the Irish were in a position to win with a three-set match on Court 3, Miller was unable to close in a 0-6, 6-2, 6-2 loss to No. 57 Scholl.
Up Next
The Irish will close out the home slate on Senior Day at 11 a.m. Sunday, welcoming No. 4 North Carolina to the Courtney Tennis Center
Scoreboard
No. 15 Duke 4, No. 29 Notre Dame 3
April 7, 2017
Eck Tennis Pavilion
Notre Dame, Ind.
Singles
1. No. 71 Monica Robinson (ND) def. No. 65 Samantha Harris (DU) 7-5, 6-1
2. No. 24 Meible Chi (DU) def. Brooke Broda (ND) 6-4, 6-1
3. No. 57 Chalena Scholl (DU) def. Allison Miller (ND) 0-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. No. 122 Kaitlyn McCarthy (DU) def. Zoe Spence (ND) 6-2, 6-1
5. Mary Closs (ND) def. Alyssa Smith (DU) 6-4, 7-6(2)
6. Rachel Chong (ND) def. Ellyse Hamlin (DU) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles
1. No. 35 Meible Chi / Kaitlyn McCarthy (DU) def. Mary Closs / Monica Robinson (ND) 6-4
2. Brooke Broda / Allison Miller (ND) def. Chalena Scholl / Alyssa Smith (DU) 6-1
3. Ellyse Hamlin / Samantha Harris (DU) def. Jane Fennelly / Zoe Spence (ND) 6-0
— ND —
Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant director 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, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, and earned her master’s degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University in 2013.