SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The weekend started with play beginning outside as the University of Notre Dame men’s team hosted Florida State. The rain held off long enough to complete the doubles point which saw the Irish take the first set at #3 with Jean-Marc Malkowski and Connor Fu winning 6-3. After Matthew Che and Axel Nefve fell 6-4 at the top spot, the Seminoles would clinch the doubles point with a win at #2 over Matthew Halpin and Peter Conklin.
No sooner did the doubles point end than the rain started and forced play indoors at the Eck Tennis Pavilion. After a short warmup for both teams, singles play began and Aditya Vashistha put up a dominant 6-2, 6-4 on the #2 singles court to tie up the contest. Florida State would hit back with a win at #5 singles before top Seminole and #82 ranked Pourroy would take down Irish leader Axel Nefve.
The remaining three matches would go all go to deciding sets with the Irish winning the opening set on each court but Florida State coming back to even the score. After having a match point in the second set he didn’t convert and getting down 1-0 in the third, junior Che would rattle off 6-straight games to defeat his opponent 6-4, 6-7, 6-1. But with Fu tied at 5-5 in the third, Malkowski would fall in three tight sets 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 to give Florida State their final needed point and the overall match.
Up Next:
The Irish will stay at home for a Sunday double header where they will begin the day against Miami at noon followed by a 4:30pm contest against the Eastern Illinois Panthers.
Box Score
# 34 Florida State 4 – #21 Notre Dame 2
Doubles
- Silagy/Karpenschif(FSU) #42 Che/Nefve(ND) 6-4
- Pourroy/Petrovic(FSU) def. Conklin/Halpin(ND) 6-1
- Fu/Malkowski(ND) def. Bulte/Rihane(FSU) 6-3
Singles
- #82 Pourroy(FSU) def. #44 Nefve(ND) 7-6, 6-4
- Vashistha(ND) def. Petrovic(FSU) 6-2, 6-4
- Che(ND) def. Karpenschif(FSU) 6-4, 6-7, 6-1
- Fu(ND) vs. Thongoana(FSU) 6-3, 4-6, 5-5 Did Not Finish
- Rihane(FSU) def. Conklin(ND) 6-3, 6-3
- Bernard(FSU) def. Malkowski(ND) 4-6, 7-6, 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles(3, 1, 2); Singles (2, 5, 1, 3, 4)