May 12, 2007

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NOTRE DAME, Ind – The sixth-seeded Notre Dame women’s tennis team breezed past Illinois-Chicago, 4-0, in first round action from the 2007 NCAA Women’s Tennis Tournament Saturday morning. The Irish improve to 26-3 overall, while the Flames end their season at 15-8.

Notre Dame began the match by winning the doubles point for the 25th time in its 29 matches. It was the quickest the Irish have played a doubles point all year, needing just 30 minutes to secure it.

First off the court was Notre Dame’s No. 3 doubles team of freshman Cosmina Ciobanu (Brea, CA) and freshman Kali Krisik (Arkansas City, KS) as they defeated Christina Oum and Jenna Reisch, 8-0. Shortly thereafter, the No. 22-ranked tandem of junior Brook Buck (Yukon, OK) and sophomore Kelcy Tefft (Enid, OK) locked up the doubles point as they took down Lubica Nadasska and Ulrikke von Ubisch, 8-1.

Ciobanu and Krisik improve to 21-5 overall and 15-4 in dual matches. The tandem has won four straight matches and 10 of their last 12. The “bagel” victory was their first of the season.

Buck and Tefft now stand 24-5 on the season and 16-2 in dual action – all at the No. 2 position. They also improved their career mark to 58-11 overall and 40-6 in dual matches.

Notre Dame’s senior All-American twins of Catrina Thompson (Las Vegas, NV) and Christian Thompson (Las Vegas, NV) led 6-2 in their match at No. 1 singles when the doubles point was clinched.

The Irish carried their dominance in doubles immediately over to singles. Notre Dame registered a trio of straight-set victories at No. 1, No. 4 and No. 3. Catrina Thompson, Tefft and freshman Colleen Rielley (Overland Park, KS) dropped a total of four games in their respective victories.

Catrina Thompson was first off the court for the Irish. She dismantled Callan Smith, 6-1, 6-1. Thompson improves to 26-10 and 21-7 in dual matches. The victory (now 99-47) also moves her into a tie with Holyn Lord for sixth place on the all-time singles win list.

Tefft had an equally easy time in her match at No. 4 singles against Christina Oum. She breezed past Oum, 6-1, 6-0, for her 25th win of the season. At 25-7 overall and 20-4 in dual matches, Tefft now stands 53-12 overall for her career and 41-8 in duals.

Rielley clinched the match for Notre Dame following a 6-1, 6-0 triumph over Grace Gill-Morlis at No. 3. She improves to 28-10 overall and 17-7 in dual action, including 14-1 at No. 3.

Christian Thompson, Ciobanu and Buck all had a set in hand and led their respective matches in the second set when the match was clinched.

The Irish dropped only nine games in the entire match, including just six in the singles portion of the match.

Notre Dame returns to action Sunday afternoon for second round action against the winner of #23 Michigan and #37 Colorado. First-serve for that match at the Courtney Tennis Center is scheduled for noon.