By Robby Hamman
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team dropped a hard-fought match to NC State by a final score of 4-3 on Friday evening at the Courtney Tennis Center. The Irish rallied to make the score close but was unable to complete the comeback.
How It Happened
The Irish (14-2, 5-1 ACC) and Wolfpack (12-7, 1-5 ACC) battled the windy conditions as well as each other on Friday, as gusts of winds reached 20-plus miles per hour. NC State jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the conclusion of doubles play. The Wolfpack claimed victories at the No. 1 and No. 2 positions, as both set scores finished 6-2. The Irish trailed 4-3 at the three spot before play was stopped.
NC State carried momentum from the doubles matches into singles play, as the Wolfpack took four of the six first sets. NC State won at No. 5 singles to increase its lead to 2-0 in the match but Notre Dame’s Brooke Broda responded with a 6-3, 6-4 victory at the No. 2 position to cut the NC State advantage to 2-1.
The Wolfpack followed with a win at the No. 4 position with a straight-set victory to move within one match from the victory. Notre Dame once again answered, as Monica Robinson rallied to win her match at No. 1 singles. After dropping the first set 3-6, the senior battled to a 7-5 second set win before dominating the third to a tune of 6-0 to complete the comeback and make the match score 3-2 in favor of NC State.
Unfortunately for the Irish, the Wolfpack managed to win a three-set match at No. 3 singles to earn the victory. After the decision was in hand, Notre Dame’s Rachel Chong won a super-tiebreaker at the No. 6 spot by a final of 6-3, 6-7 (2), 1-0 (10-4) to make the final match score 4-3.
Coach Jay Louderback’s Thoughts
On the fight in the team…
“We definitely came back but there is no reason to start off that slow. The conditions weren’t good but we have to suck it up and play. We started off like we didn’t want to be outside playing because it was too windy but it was windy on both sides of the net and they had just as much wind as we did. They handled it better at first and then we got back in it.
On the success from the top of the lineup…
“Monica [Robinson] and Brooke [Boda] both played well and Allison [Miller] was right in it, she had a couple of good chances to get back in the third so she was right there. They have been playing really well. Hopefully we will get the middle of the lineup going.
Notables
- Senior Monica Robinson improved to 12-3 in dual matches on the season.
- Junior Brooke Broda improved to 9-4 on the season and has won her last five singles decisions.
- With the win at No. 6 singles, Rachel Chong is now 9-3 in dual matches this season.
Up Next
The Irish are back in action at Noon on Sunday, March 26, as Notre Dame hosts Miami at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
Scoreboard
No. 35 NC State 4, No. 26 Notre Dame 3
March 24, 2017
Courtney Tennis Center
Notre Dame, Ind.
Singles
1. Monica Robinson (ND) def. No. 55 Martina Frantova (NCST) 3-6, 7-5, 6-0
2. Brooke Broda (ND) def. Anna Rogers (NCST) 6-3, 6-4
3. Claudia Wiktorin (NCST) def. Allison Miller (ND) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
4. Adriana Reami (NCST) def. Zoe Spence (ND) 6-3, 6-4
5. Bianca Moldovan (NCST) def. Mary Closs (ND) 6-3, 6-3
6. Rachel Chong (ND) def. Amanda Rebol (NCST) 6-3, 6-7 (2), 1-0 (10-4)
Doubles
1. No. 21 Martina Frantova / Anna Rogers (NCST) def. Monica Robinson / Mary Closs (ND) 6-2
2. Bianca Moldvan / Claudia Wiktorin (NCST) def. Allison Miller / Brooke Broda (ND) 6-2
3. Amanda Rebol / Adriana Reami (NCST) led Jane Fennelly / Zoe Spence (ND) 4-3
— ND —
Robby Hamman joined Fighting Irish Media as athletics communications assistant director in September 2016, coordinating efforts for the volleyball and men’s lacrosse program. Hamman is a 2010 graduate of Bethel College, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in sport management and business administration, and earned his master’s degree in business administration from Defiance College in 2013.