Sept. 18, 2011
CHICAGO, Ill. – The Notre Dame men’s tennis team managed a pair of singles victories in a rain-shortened final day at the Illini Invitational on Sunday.
No. 28 Casey Watt earned his first victory of the weekend, taking down California’s Riki McLAchlan in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3.
Junior Blas Moros closed out the weekend with a 2-2 singles record after dropping Alabama’s Stuart Kenyon, 6-3, 6-4.
Despite dropping three matches, the Irish battled hard all day, losing three close matches. Reigning BIG EAST Rookie of the Year Greg Andrews fell to Alejandro Gomez of Kentucky, 7-6 (7), 6-4, while senior Samuel Keeton lost to California’s Ben McLachlan, 6-3, 7-6 (10). Freshman Wyatt McCoy lost his second three-setter of the weekend, falling 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to Bruno Abdelnour of Illinois. On the weekend the Shoreview, Minn., native went 2-0 in doubles and 1-3 in singles with a pair of three-set losses.
On the weekend, the Irish finished at 5-3 in doubles and 11-17 in singles against four top-20 teams from last season and Alabama, who ended the year ranked 57th.
Notre Dame returns to action next weekend as it splits the team up for a pair of tournaments. Part of the squad will make the trip out to California to compete in the elite Napa Valley USTA/ITA Invitational, while the other half of the team will stay home for the Tom Fallon Invitational. The California tournament runs from Thursday-Sunday, while the Tom Fall Invitational will be held on Notre Dame’s campus from Friday-Sunday.
Singles Round 4
#28 Casey Watt (ND) def. Riki McLachlan, 7-5, 6-3
Blas Moros (ND) def. Stuart Kenyon (BAMA), 6-3, 6-4
Alejandro Gomez (UK) def. Greg Andrews (ND), 7-6(7), 6-4
Ben McLachlan (CAL) def. Samuel Keeton (ND), 6-3, 7-6(10)
Bruno Abdelnour (ILL) def. Wyatt McCoy (ND), 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
–ND–