Nov. 6, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame women’s tennis seniors Kristy Frilling (Sidney, Ohio) and Shannon Mathews (Birmingham, Mich.) were unable to complete the run for the championship at the ITA National Individual Indoor Championship, falling in three sets in Sunday’s championship match at the USTA-Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.
After claiming the opening set 6-4 over the USC pairing of Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria, the Irish duo was unsuccessful in closing out the match in the second set, dropping it by an identical 6-4 count. In the decisive third set, USC used two breaks of Frilling’s serve and four holds of their own to pull out a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory. The Irish pair is the first Notre Dame team to finish runner-up at the event since Frilling and Kelcy Tefft did so during the ’08 season.
The final day of the Eck Tennis Classic, meanwhile, saw a quiet conclusion that saw the remainder of the Notre Dame roster play in three singles matches. Both Jennifer Kellner (Smithtown, N.Y.) and Chrissie McGaffigan (Davenport, Iowa) concluded the weekend with perfect 3-0 marks in singles competition after each finished with a victory on Sunday. Kellner took down Mississippi State’s Roseline Dion (6-1, 6-1), while McGaffigan defeated the Bulldogs’ Petra Ferancova (6-2, 6-0).
Kellner was awarded with the tournament title, as she concluded the event with a total of 11 points. The point system was put in place to award three points for every singles victory at either No. 1 or 2 singles, two points for a victory at No. 3 and 4 and one point at No. 5 and 6 while also getting a single point for every doubles victory. McGaffigan finished second with 10 points, while Britney Sanders (Ontario, Calif.) placed fourth with eight. Oklahoma’s Mia Lancaster finished third at the tournament with nine points.
Freshman Katherine White (Columbus, Ga.) was the final Irish match on the docket as she faced off with Brigita Bercyte of Wake Forest. After dropping the first set 6-2, White came back to take the second 7-5. With the match on the line, White was unable to break trailing 5-4 in the third, dropping the final set, 6-4.
A portion of the Irish roster now prepares to head to the Lakewood Ranch Invitational Nov. 11-13 in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., in what will be the fall season finale. The event gives the Notre Dame squad a rare chance to play on a clay court surface.
ITA National Individual Indoor:
Doubles Main Draw - Championship Match:Kaitlyn Christian/Sabrina Santamaria (USC) def. #3 Kristy Frilling/Shannon Mathews 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Eck Tennis Classic:
Singles:Jennifer Kellner (ND) def. Roseline Dion (MSU) 6-1, 6-1Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) def. Petra Ferancova (MSU) 6-2, 6-0Brigita Bercyte (WF) def. Katherine White (ND) 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
–ND–