Jan. 29, 2017
By Joanne Norell
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team improved to 3-0 on the season and opened the Atlantic Coast Conference slate with a win Sunday, defeating Pittsburgh 6-1 at the Alpha Tennis and Fitness Center.
How It Happened
The Irish (3-0, 1-0 ACC) got a pair of breezy wins on the first and second doubles courts to clinch the doubles point. Senior Monica Robinson and junior Brooke Broda defeated Amber Washington and Callie Frey 6-2 on Court 1, and senior Mary Closs and junior Allison Miller secured the point with a 6-3 win over Gabriela Rezende and Jovana Knezevic.
The Panthers (1-1, 0-1 ACC) got the first point of singles when Washington defeated Broda on Court 2, but the Irish rolled at the rest of the positions to earn the convincing victory.
Robinson improved to 3-0 on the season with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Audrey Ann Blakely on Court 1, followed by freshman Bess Waldram’s third win of the year on Court 4, 6-3, 6-1 over Knezevic. Freshman Zoe Spence clinched the win for the Irish with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Frey at No. 5.
Senior Jane Fennelly picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win over Clara Lucas on Court 6, and Miller upended Rezende 6-2, 7-5 on Court 3 to close out the match.
Up Next
The Irish will return home next to face No. 14 Michigan at 3:30 p.m. ET Friday at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
Scoreboard
Notre Dame 6, Pittsburgh 1
January 29, 2017
Alpha Tennis and Fitness Center
Singles
1. Monica Robinson (ND) def. Audrey Ann Blakely (PITT) 6-2, 6-2
2. Amber Washington (PITT) def. No. 92 Brooke Broda (ND) 6-2, 6-3
3. Allison Miller (ND) def. Gabriela Rezende (PITT) 6-2, 7-5
4. Bess Waldram (ND) def. Jovana Knezevic (PITT) 6-3, 6-1
5. Zoe Spence (ND) def. Callie Frey (UP) 7-5, 6-1
6. Jane Fennelly (ND) def. Clara Lucas (UP) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
1. Brooke Broda / Monica Robinson (ND) def. Amber Washington / Callie Frey (UP) 6-2
2. Mary Closs / Allison Miller (ND) def. Gabriela Rezende / Jovana Knezevic (UP) 6-3
3. Jane Fennelly / Bess Waldram (ND) vs. Audrey Ann Blakely / Clara Lucas (UP) no result
— 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 women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, and earned her master’s degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University in 2013.