Feb. 18, 2017
By Joanne Norell
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team improved to 5-1 on the season and picked up its second straight win over a Big Ten opponent Saturday in a 6-1 win over Indiana at the IU Tennis Center.
How It Happened
The Hoosiers took a 1-0 lead after doubles, winning on Courts 1 and 2 to clinch the point. On Court 3, sophomore Rachel Chong and freshman Zoe Spence defeated Paula Gutierrez and Pauline Jahren 7-5.
The Irish got on the board first – and quickly – in singles, however, as senior Mary Closs defeated Kim Schmider 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot to even the score. With the first domino fallen, the Irish picked up two more swift wins, as Chong defeated Jahren 6-1, 6-2 on Court 6 and junior Brooke Broda downed Gutierrez 6-3, 6-2 on Court 2.
After falling in the first set, senior Monica Robinson clinched the win for the Irish at 4-1 with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Madison Appel at the No. 1 slot. Robinson improved to 5-0 on the season.
Freshman Zoe Spence extended the lead and improved to 6-0 on the season with a 6-2, 5-7, 10-8 victory over Natalie Whalen on Court 4. Spence faced a 6-1 deficit in the match tiebreaker set, but rallied to continue her team-best winning streak.
Similarly, junior Allison Miller also won in three sets, coming back from a 3-5 deficit in the third to defeat Caitlin Bernard 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 at the No. 3 spot to wrap up the day.
Up Next
The Irish will travel to Atlantic Coast Conference foe Louisville for a noon ET matchup Sunday at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center.
Scoreboard
Notre Dame 6, Indiana 1
February 18, 2017
IU Tennis Center
Singles
1. Monica Robinson (ND) def. Madison Appel (IU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
2. Brooke Broda (ND) def. Paula Gutierrez (IU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Allison Miller (ND) def. Caitlin Bernard (IU) 2-6, 6-3, 7-5
4. Zoe Spence (ND) Natalie Whalen (IU) 6-2, 5-7, 10-8
5. Mary Closs ND) def. Kim Schmider (IU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Rachel Chong (ND) def. Pauline Jahren (IU) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
1. Madison Appel / Kim Schmider (IU) def. No. 32 Brooke Broda / Monica Robinson (ND) 6-32. Caitlin Bernard / Natalie Whalen (IU) def. Mary Closs / Allison Miller (ND) 7-53. Rachel Chong / Zoe Spence (ND) def. Paula Gutierrez / Pauline Jahren (IU) 7-5
— 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.