Oct. 23, 2010
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team advanced two doubles teams and four individuals on day three of action on Saturday at the 2010 ITA Midwest Regional at the Varsity Tennis Center in Ann Arbor. Kristen Rafael (Grand Prairie, Texas) posted three wins on the day, picking up a doubles win along with a pair of singles victories.
Rafael teamed with Britney Sanders (Ontario, Calif.) in the round of 16 to knock off Paloma Escobedo and Cami Hubbs of Ohio State, 8-6. The tandem meets Northwestern’s team of Abu Mushrefova and Hamilton in the quarterfinals, after they defeated the No. 2 seeded team from Michigan of Whitney Taney and Rika Tatsuno, 8-6.
No. 1 seeded Kristy Frilling (Sidney, Ohio) and Shannon Mathews rolled through their round of 16 matchup, defeating Kate Turvy and Belinda Niu of Northwestern, 8-2. Kelsey Haviland and Gabby Steele of Ohio State now await the Irish tandem in the quarterfinals after an 8-2 win over Michigan’s duo of Brooke Bolender and Mimi Nguyen.
In singles action, Rafael notched a pair of victories, starting with a win over Hubbs in the first round. After dropping the first set (4-6), she recovered to win the final two sets with ease (6-1, 6-1) for the match victory. She then made short work of Selma Salkovic of DePaul in the second round, winning in straight sets (7-6 (7-4), 6-0). A meeting with No. 2 seed Denise Muresan now awaits Rafael in the round of 16.
Frilling, the No. 1 seed, advanced with a straight-sets decision over Stacey Lee of Northwestern, 6-1, 6-2 and will meet Niu in the round of 16.
The No. 4 seeded Mathews dispatched Northwestern’s Elena Chernyakova (6-1, 6-1) and will face Northwestern’s Brittany Wowchuk in the third round.
Chrissie McGaffigan (Davenport, Iowa) made it another straight-sets victory for the Irish, knocking off Michelle Sulahian of Michigan, 6-4, 6-2. She squares off with another Wolverine opponent in the third round in Mimi Nguyen.
Sanders was the lone singles loss on the day as she dropped a tough decision to Nicky Stracar of Wisconsin, 6-2, 6-1.
Sunday’s action will feature quarterfinal and semifinal doubles action before switching over for the round of 16 in the singles draw.
Action is scheduled to get underway at 10:00 a.m. (ET). Be sure to check back with und.com for a recap of the Irish on day four of the 2010 ITA Midwest Regional.
2010 ITA Women’s Midwest Regional Results – Day Three:
Doubles Main Draw:
Round of 16:
#1 Kristy Frilling/Shannon Mathews (ND) def. Kate Turvy/Belinda Niu (NU) – 8-2
#9-12 Kristen Rafael/Britney Sanders (ND) def. #5-8 Paloma Escobedo/Cami Hubbs (OSU) – 8-6
Singles Main Draw:
Round of 64:
Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Cami Hubbs (OSU) – 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
Round of 32:
#1 Kristy Frilling (ND) def. Stacey Lee (NU) – 6-1, 6-2
#4 Shannon Mathews (ND) def. Elena Chernyakova (NU) – 6-1, 6-1
#5-8 Chrissie McGaffigan def. Michelle Sulahian (MICH) – 6-4, 6-2
Nicky Stracar (WIS) def. #9-12 Britney Sanders (ND) – 6-2, 6-1
Kristen Rafael (ND) def. #13-16 Selma Salkovic (DPU) – 7-6 (7-4), 6-0
–ND–