Feb. 6, 2009
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 14 Notre Dame women’s tennis team kept their perfect record Friday, as they defeated No. 18 Michigan, 4-3, at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
The Irish clinched the doubles point to jump out to an early 1-0 lead. The No. 1-ranked duo of Kelcy Tefft and Kristy Frilling defeated Chisako Sugiyama and Tania Mahtani, 8-1, before Shannon Mathews and Colleen Rielley handed Lindsey Howard and Denise Muresan an 8-2 defeat at No. 3 doubles to clinch the point. Cosmina Ciobanu and Kali Krisik battled back from a 0-4 deficit to even the No. 2 doubles match at 5-5, but couldn’t hang on as Michigan’s Whitney Taney and Rika Tatsuno took an 8-5 win.
Shannon Mathews put the Irish up 2-0, as she defeated Michelle Sulahian, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 6 singles. Tefft downed Sugiyama, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 1 singles to push the Irish to 3-0. Kristen Rafael battled back to beat Tania Mahtani, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 4 singles and clinch the win for the Irish. Frilling dropped her No. 2 singles match to Tatsuno, 6-4, 6-4. No. 46 Krisik fell to Taney, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 at No. 3 singles, and Ciobanu dropped her No. 5 singles draw to Mureson, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
The Irish improve to 4-0 on the season, while the Wolverines fall to 3-2.
The Irish return to the court Feb. 13-16 at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Madison, Wisc.
–ND–
Doubles Results
1. No. 1 Kelcy Tefft/Kristy Frilling (ND) def. Chisako Sugiyama/Tania Mahtani (UM), 8-1
2. Whitney Taney/Rika Tatsuno (UM) def. Cosmina Ciobanu/Kali Krisik (ND), 8-5
3. Shannon Mathews/Colleen Rielley (ND) def. Lindsey Howard/Denise Muresan (UM), 8-2*
Singles Results
1. No. 45 Kelcy Tefft (ND) def. Chisako Sugiyama (UM), 6-1, 6-2
2. Rika Tatsuno (UM) def. No. 39 Kristy Frilling (ND), 6-4, 6-4
3. Whitney Taney (UM) def. No. 46 Kali Krisik (ND), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6
4. No. 62 Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Tania Mahtani (UM), 6-7, 6-2, 6-1*
5. Denise Mureson (UM) def. Cosmina Ciobanu (ND), 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
6. Shannon Mathews (ND) def. Michelle Sulahian (UM), 6-0, 6-1