Nov. 3, 2017
By Joanne Norell
KALAMAZOO, Mich. & TEMPE, Ariz. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team began its final weekend of fall competition strong at both the Bronco Super Challenge at Western Michigan and the Thunderbird Invitational at Arizona State.
Bronco Super Challenge
The Irish sent four players to take part in Western Michigan’s Bronco Super Challenge, with the contingent posting a 2-2 singles record and 3-1 doubles mark to start play Friday at the West Hills Athletic Club.
The day began with two rounds of doubles, and senior Brooke Broda and freshman Caroline Dunleavy combined to win two matches. The pair defeated Indiana’s Madison Appel and Michelle McKamey 6-3 in the first round of the Bronco Flight, then upended DePaul’s Alina Kuzmenkova and Marija Jovicic 6-0 in the second.
Freshmen Ally Bojczuk and Evangeline Shannon downed Indiana’s Natalie Whalen and Olga Zavarotnaya 6-4 in the first round of the Sand Flight.
In singles, Broda defeated Colorado State’s Priscilla Palermo 6-0, 6-1 in the first round of the Gold Flight, while Bojczuk bested Hoosier Caitlin Bernard 6-2, 6-0 in the same flight.
Play at the Bronco Super Challenge will resume at 10 a.m. ET with two rounds of doubles followed by a round of singles.
ASU Thunderbird Invitational
Four more Irish players began competition at Arizona State’s Thunderbird Invitational, splitting the day in both doubles (1-1) and singles (4-4).
After one round of round-robin doubles in which senior Allison Miller and junior Rachel Chong defeated Fresno State’s Alessia Dario and Katerina Stloukalova, the focus switched to singles, with two rounds to close out the day.
Miller won her first-round match over San Diego’s Kati Kukaras 3-6, 7-5, 6-1, while freshman Cameron Corse also prevailed in a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 win over California’s Jasie Dunk in the first round. Meanwhile, after falling in first-round play, Chong went on to win 6-3, 6-0 over San Diego’s Carolin Nonnemacher and sophomore Zoe Spence bested TCU’s Donika Bashota 2-6, 6-2, 13-11.
Play will continue Saturday beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET with one round of doubles followed by two rounds of singles.
Bronco Super Challenge
West Hills Athletic Club
Kalamazoo, Mich.
Nov. 3-5, 2017
Doubles
Bronco Flight
First Round
Brooke Broda / Caroline Dunleavy (ND) def. Madison Appel / Michelle McKamey (IU) 6-3
Second Round
Brooke Broda / Caroline Dunleavy (ND) def. Alina Kuzmenkova / Marija Jovicic (DEP) 6-0
Sand Flight
First Round
Ally Bojczuk / Evangeline Shannon (ND) def. Natalie Whalen / Olga Zavarotnaya (IU) 6-4
Second Round
Milica Tesic / Aspasia Avgeri (DEP) def. Ally Bojczuk / Evangeline Shannon (ND) 6-4
Singles
Gold Flight
First Round
No. 123 Brooke Broda (ND) def. Priscilla Palermo (Colorado State) 6-0, 6-1
Ally Bojczuk (ND) def. Caitlin Bernard (IU) 6-2, 6-0
Keisha Clousing (DEP) def. Caroline Dunleavy (ND) 6-0, 7-5
Black Flight
First Round
Jana Schober (Cleveland State) def. Evangeline Shannon (ND) 6-4, 6-0
ASU Thunderbird Invitational
Whiteman Tennis Center
Tempe, Ariz.
Nov. 3-5, 2017
Doubles (Round Robin)
Friday
Allison Miller / Rachel Chong (ND) def. Alessia Dario / Katerina Stloukalova (Fresno) 6-4
Savannah Slaysman / Sasa Klanecek (ASU) def. Cameron Corse / Zoe Spence (ND) 6-3
Singles
First Round
Cameron Corse (ND) def. Jasie Dunk (CAL) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
Allison Miller (ND) def. Kati Kukaras (USD) 3-6, 7-5, 6-1
Daniela Pedraza Novak (UI) def. Rachel Chong (ND) 6-1, 6-4
Simran Sethi (OU) def. Zoe Spence (ND) 6-2, 6-2
Second Round
Jaclyn Switkes (UI) def. Cameron Corse (ND) 6-3, 6-1
Emilee Duong (UI) def. Allison Miller (ND) 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
First Round “Sparky” Consolation
Rachel Chong (ND) def. Carolin Nonnemacher (USD) 6-3, 6-0
Zoe Spence (ND) def. Donika Bashota (TCU) 2-6, 6-2, 13-11
–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 men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs, in addition to overseeing production of the football Gameday Magazine. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2013.