April 29, 2011
BIG EAST Quarterfinal – Video Recap
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The second-seeded University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team handled the seventh-seeded Georgetown in a 4-0 decision Friday during the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Championship at the Courtney Tennis Center. Freshman Greg Andrews (Richland, Mich./Gull Lake) claimed the match point that advances Notre Dame to the semifinals Saturday.
“I thought that Dan Stahl did a nice job of stepping into the third doubles position,” head coach Bobby Bayliss said. “We have been playing with nine players all season, and unfortunately we had to take Tyler Davis out of doubles play, but he filled in as a great assistant coach on the third doubles court for us.”
After being delayed due to a lengthy Marquette and USF match, junior Niall Fitzgerald (Wicklow, Ireland/Blackrock College) and sophomore Spencer Talmadge (Hillsborough, Calif./Junipero Serra) defeated Michael Clarke and Andrew Bruhn, 8-2 at first doubles. The tandem’s record improves to 15-10 on the season.
Senior Stephen Havens (Cincinnati, Ohio/ Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) and Casey Watt (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) clinched the doubles point for the Irish in their first match on the Courtney Tennis Center this season. The duo downed Charlie Caris and Bryan Miller, 8-3 to earn the point.
Andrews and senior Daniel Stahl (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) were at a 7-2 score versus Casey Distaso and Brian Ward at third doubles before the match went unfinished and singles action began.
With the doubles point in hand, Havens handled Andrew Bruhn in consecutive 6-0 sets at second singles to improve to a 9-12 dual season record.
“Stephen had a great day on the courts,” Bayliss said. “It was one of the better matches I have seen him play this season.”
Sophomore Blas Moros (Boca Raton, Fla./Pine-Crest) defeated Alex Friedlich, 6-0, 6-3 at fifth singles. Moros has now won eight consecutive matches as he enters the semifinals of the tournament.
Andrews clinched the match, 6-3, 6-0 at fourth doubles and defeated Distaso to conclude the contest at 4-0 versus the Hoyas.
The Irish are ranked 30th nationally and face 48th-ranked USF Saturday at 9:00 a.m. at the Courtney Tennis Center with the weather permitting in the semifinal round of the 2011 BIG EAST Championship.
No. 2 Notre Dame, 4 – No. 7 Georgetown, 0
Singles
No. 1 No. 60 Casey Watt (ND) vs. Michael Clarke (GTOWN), 6-3, 5-3, unfinished
No. 2 Stephen Havens (ND) def. Andrew Bruhn (GTOWN), 6-1, 6-1
No. 3 No. 94 Daniel Stahl (ND) vs. Charlie Caris (GTOWN), 6-3, 2-1, unfinished
No. 4 Greg Andrews (ND) def. Casey Distaso (GTOWN), 6-3, 6-0
No. 5 Blas Moros (ND) def. Alex Friedlich (GTOWN), 6-0, 6-3
No. 6 Niall Fitzgerald (ND) vs. Brian Ward (GTOWN), 6-2, 3-2, unfinished
Order of Finish: 2, 5, 4
Doubles
No. 1 No. 76 Niall Fitzgerald/Spencer Talmadge (ND) def. Michael Clarke/Andrew Bruhn (GTOWN), 8-2
No. 2 Stephen Havens/Casey Watt (ND) def. Charlie Caris/Bryan Miller (GTOWN), 8-3
No. 3 Greg Andrews/Daniel Stahl (ND) vs. Casey Distaso/Brian Ward (GTOWN), 7-2, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 2
–ND–