March 15, 2018
By Joanne Norell
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The 18th-ranked University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team was unable to replicate the results it saw the last time it traveled to the state of Texas on Thursday, falling to No. 6 Texas A&M 5-2 at the Mitchell Tennis Center.
How It Happened
Texas A&M (11-3) claimed a 1-0 lead after doubles, winning on Courts 1 and 3. The 14th-ranked duo of Jordi Arconada and Juan Carlos Aguilar defeated No. 55 Brendon Kempin and Tristan McCormick 6-3 on one, while Valentin Vacherot and AJ Catanzariti defeated Alex Lebedev and Guillermo Cabrera at three. The Irish got the win on two with Richard Ciamarra and Matt Gamble defeating Patrick Kypson and Barnaby Smith 6-3.
The Aggies took a 2-0 lead when 37th-ranked Arconada defeated Ciamarra 6-0, 6-4 on Court 2 singles. Then, Aguilar defeated McCormick 6-3, 6-2 on Court 4 to put the home team up 3-0. Catanzariti clinched the match for the Aggies, winning 6-3, 6-4 over Grayson Broadus on Court 6. The lead was extended to 5-0 when 10th-ranked Arthur Rinderknech defeated No. 33 Lebedev 6-2, 6-4 at the top spot.
The Irish got their wins at the end of the match, as Gamble put the Irish on the board with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 win over Smith at No. 5, and Cabrera downed No. 32 Vacherot 2-6, 7-6(7), 10-3 to close out the match.
Up Next
The Irish (10-7) will return head east to face Atlantic Coast Conference opponent Virginia on Sunday, with first serve against the Cavaliers coming at 11:30 a.m. ET at the Snyder Tennis Center.
Scoreboard
No. 6 Texas A&M 5, No. 18 Notre Dame 2
March 15, 2018
Mitchell Tennis Center
College Station, Texas
Singles
1. No. 10 Arthur Rinderknech (TAMU) def. No. 33 Alex Lebedev (ND) 6-2, 6-4
2. No. 37 Jordi Arconada (TAMU) def. Richard Ciamarra (ND) 6-0, 6-4
3. Guillermo Cabrera (ND) def. No. 31 Valentin Vacherot (TAMU) 2-6, 7-6(7), 10-3
4. Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) def. Tristan McCormick (ND) 6-3, 6-2
5. Matt Gamble (ND) def. Barnaby Smith (TAMU) 6-1, 2-6, 6-2
6. AJ Catanzariti (TAMU) def. Grayson Broadus (ND) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
1. No. 14 Jordi Arconada / Juan Carlos Aguilar (TAMU) def. No. 55 Brendon Kempin / Tristan McCormick (ND) 6-3
2. Richard Ciamarra / Matt Gamble (ND) def. Patrick Kypson / Barnaby Smith (TAMU) 6-3
3. Valentin Vacherot / AJ Catanzariti (TAMU) def. Guillermo Cabrera / Alex Lebedev (ND) 6-4
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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 and fencing programs, in addition to assisting with football communications and 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.