Nov. 7, 2010
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team earned seven more victories on the final day of competition at the Midwest Blast on Sunday from the Atkins Tennis Center in Champaign. The squad paired two doubles wins with a sweep of all five singles matches on day three.
The Irish began the day with doubles competition against Illinois. Kristen Rafael (Grand Prairie, Texas) and Britney Sanders (Ontario, Calif.) posted a convincing win over the Illini pairing of Rachael White and Misia Kedzierski, 8-2. Jennifer Kellner (Smithtown, N.Y.) and Chrissie McGaffigan (Davenport, Iowa) teamed up against Chelcie Abajian and Amy Allin and posted an 8-4 victory.
Notre Dame’s lone loss of the day came as the duo of Shannon Mathews (Birmingham, Mich.) and Julie Sabacinski (Plantation, Fla.) fell to the tandem of Leigh Finnegan and Allison Falkin, 8-6.
The Irish sent only five into singles competition, including JoHanna Manningham (Mishawaka, Ind.) making her first appearance of the day. The freshman played a superset match against Andrea Arques-Garcia of Memphis and held on for an 8-5 decision.
The remaining four singles matches saw the Irish take on Oklahoma. Rafael knocked off Whitney Ritchie in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2. McGaffigan also posted a convincing victory over Mia Lancaster, 6-2, 6-3 and Kellner took down Tara Eckel 6-4, 6-2.
The lone match that went three sets saw Sanders take down Maria Kalashnikova. The Irish freshman took the first set convincingly (6-1) before having the match evened up with a 4-6 defeat in the second set. Sanders rebounded in the third set, dispatching Kalashnikova 6-0 for the victory.
For most of the Irish squad their fall season has concluded, however Sabacinski and McGaffigan will head to Sarasota, Fla. from Fri.-Sun. (Nov. 12-14) for the Sarasota Clay Courts tournament to wrap up their fall slate.
Midwest Blast – Champaign, Ill. – Day Three:
Singles:
JoHanna Manningham (ND) def. Andrea Arques-Garcia (MEM), 8-5
Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Whitney Ritchie (OU), 6-1, 6-2
Britney Sanders (ND) def. Maria Kalashnikova (OU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-0
Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) def. Mia Lancaster (OU), 6-2, 6-3
Jennifer Kellner (ND) def. Tara Eckel (OU), 6-4, 6-2
Doubles:
Kristen Rafael/Britney Sanders (ND) def. Rachael White/Misia Kedzierski (ILL), 8-2
Leigh Finnegan/Allison Falkin (ILL) def. Shannon Mathews/Julie Sabacinski (ND), 8-6
Jennifer Kellner/Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) def. Chelcie Abajian/Amy Allin (ILL), 8-4
–ND–