Jan. 15, 2012
Notre Dame 7, Illinois State 0 
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 28 Notre Dame men’s tennis team opened the 2012 season on the right foot on Sunday, sweeping Illinois State and Toledo, 7-0, in a pair of matches at Eck Tennis Pavilion. The Irish won 11 of 12 singles matches in straight-sets, to put away the Redbirds and Rockets.
Four Irish student-athletes went 2-0 in singles including senior Casey Watt, junior Blas Moros, sophomore Greg Andrews and freshman Wyatt McCoy. Watt and Andrews also went 2-0 on the day as a doubles duo. Sophomore Billy Pecor went 2-0 in doubles and 1-0 in singles.
“Today was a great start to the season,” said head coach Bobby Bayliss. “We got to see a lot of guys play today, and they all made the most of their opportunity. We made progress towards our goals and we will look to keep it up next weekend.”
Notre Dame continues its three-match homestand next Friday as it plays host to William & Mary in a 6 p.m. match.
No. 28 Notre Dame 7, Illinois State 0
The Irish opened the 2012 season on a strong note, as they powered through doubles play in just over an hour to take the early 1-0 lead on their way to a 7-0 season-opening victory.
The No. 2 doubles team of Watt and Andrews breezed past Skip Span and Jordan Badenko, 8-1, and the No. 3 duo of Pecor and Sam Keeton topped Willi Peter and Muddappa Appanervanda, 8-2.
The best doubles contest came at No. 1, where Niall Fitzgerald and Spencer Talmadge battled back and forth with the No. 34 team in the country composed of Alexander Palaez and Tuomas Manner. The match went to tiebreaker at 7-7 after neither team could take the necessary two point lead. The Notre Dame duo pulled away in the tiebreaker, winning 7-4, for the 8-7 victory.
In singles action, Notre Dame won five of the six matches in straight sets, with Fitzgerald winning in a two-set tiebreak, 6-1, 2-6, 1-0 (15-13), since an Irish victory had already been assured.
Notre Dame opened singles play with a pair of convincing wins at five and six to get the Irish an early 3-0 lead. At five, Moros cruised past Badenko, 6-1, 6-0, in well under an hour, while McCoy defeated Peter, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6.
Watt clinched the match for the Irish as he defeated Pelaez, 6-2, 6-4. Also earning victories on the day were Andrews, 6-3, 6-1, Keeton, 7-5, 6-2, and Fitzgerald.
DOUBLES
Doubles No. 1
Niall Fitzgerald/Spencer Talmadge (ND) d. No. 34 Alexander Palaez/Tuomas Manner (ISU), 8-7 (4)
Doubles No. 2
Casey Watt/Greg Andrews (ND) d. Skip Span/Jordan Badenko (ISU), 8-1
Doubles No. 3
Billy Pecor/Sam Keeton (ND) d. Willi Peter/Muddappa Appanervanda (ISU), 8-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
SINGLES
Singles No. 1
Casey Watt (ND) d. Alex Pelaez (ISU), 6-2, 6-4
Singles No. 2
Greg Andrews (ND) d. Tuomas Manner (ISU), 6-3, 6-1
Singles No. 3
Sam Keeton (ND) d. Skip Span (ISU), 7-5, 6-2
Singles No. 4
Niall Fitzgerald (ND) d. Jusso Ojanen (ISU), 6-1, 2-6 (15-13)
Singles No. 5
Blas Moros (ND) d. Jordan Badenko (ISU), 6-1, 6-0
Singles No. 6
Wyatt McCoy (ND) d. Willi Peter (ISU), 6-2, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4
No. 28 Notre Dame 7, Toledo 0
After a tough battle in doubles action, Notre Dame turned it on in singles action to complete its second sweep of the day as it defeated Toledo, 7-0.
The Irish had a much tougher go in the evening doubles session against the Rockets than they had in the morning session against the Redbirds.
The No. 3 doubles team of Michael Moore and McCoy made quick work of the Toledo team of Garrett Cona and Terence Weigand, 8-2, but the No. 1 and 2 doubles teams were engaged in back and forth affairs. The No. 1 team of Watt and Andrews held off Leo Sarria and Tomas Stillman, 8-6, while the No. 2 duo of Ryan Bandy and Pecor won by an identical 8-6 score.
There was less drama in the singles round, as all six players won in straight sets, with no one allowing more than three points in a set.
Junior Michael Moore opened singles play on a strong note for Notre Dame, as he steamrolled Ben Brocker, 6-0, 6-0. McCoy and Watt followed closely with 6-2, 6-1 and 6-3, 6-3 victories, respectively. Watt again earned the match-clinching point.
With the match decided, Moros (6-1, 6-3), Andrews (6-2, 6-1) and Pecor (6-2, 6-1) picked up straight-set wins to close out the night.
DOUBLES
Doubles No. 3
Michael Moore/Wyatt McCoy (ND) d. Garrett Cona/Terence Weigand (UT), 8-2
Doubles No. 1
Casey Watt/Greg Andrews (ND) d. Leo Sarria/Tomas Stillman (UT), 8-6
Doubles No. 2
Ryan Bandy/Billy Pecor (ND) d. Bryant Dudzik/Nicholas Wong (UT), 8-6
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
SINGLES
Singles No. 6
Michael Moore (ND) d. Ben Brocker (UT), 6-0, 6-0
Singles No. 5
Wyatt McCoy (ND) d. Terence Weigand (UT), 6-2, 6-1
Singles No. 1
Casey Watt (ND) d. Tomas Stillman (UT), 6-3, 6-3
Singles No. 4
Blas Moros (ND) d. Nicholas Wong (UT), 6-1, 6-3
Singles No. 2
Greg Andrews (ND) d. Bryant Dudzik (UT), 6-2, 6-1
Singles No. 5
Billy Pecor (ND) d. Grant Adams (UT), 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 1, 4, 2, 5
–ND–