Oct. 5, 2003
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sophomore Liz Donohue (Sioux Falls, S.D./O’Gorman H.S.) won the red flight singles championship a day after she took the flight’s doubles title to lead the University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team Sunday on the final day of the Kentucky Fall Classic. Irish players combined for a 33-13 record in the three-day event.
Donohue outlasted Laura McNamara of Middle Tennessee State 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 6-4 in the red flight title match on Sunday. On Saturday, she and sophomore Kelly Nelson (St. Petersburg, Fla./Shorecrest Preparatory School) won the red flight doubles championship. Donohue is 4-2 in singles and 4-1 in doubles this fall.
Nelson was one of two Irish players to win Sunday to take third place in their respective draws. She beat Lindsey Adams of Ohio State 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in green-flight action. In the white flight, freshman Christian Thompson (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Luers H.S.) beat Purdue’s Alyssa Rodriguez 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the third-place match.
Two more Notre Dame players were runners-up in their flights. Sophomore Kristina Stastny (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph’s Academy) fell to Kentucky’s Sarah Foster 6-3, 6-3 in the final of the white flight, while freshman Catrina Thompson (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Luers H.S.) lost to Aibika Kalsarieva of the host school 6-3, 7-5 in the blue flight championship.
Senior Emily Neighbours (Indianapolis, Ind./Park Tudor School) won in consolation action in the green flight on Sunday, beating Alex DeGuzman of William & Mary 6-3, 6-3.
Notre Dame got a pair of singles wins over ranked players earlier in the tournament. Sophomore Lauren Connelly (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness H.S.) beat #65 Amy Wei of William & Mary 6-1, 6-4 on Friday, while Catrina Thompson upset #39 Megan Muth, a teammate of Wei, in three sets on Saturday.
In doubles play, which concluded Saturday, Notre Dame got a consolation title, a third-place finish, and a fourth-place result to go with Donohue’s and Nelson’s title. The Thompson twins lost in the opening round, but won the backdraw of the blue flight, while Neighbours and sophomore Lauren Connelly were third. Stastny and junior Sarah Jane Connelly (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness H.S.) reached the semifinals of the white flight.
Three Irish players did not participate in the event. Senior co-captain Caylan Leslie (Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar H.S.) and sophomore Jennifer Smith (Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg H.S.) are both out with injuries, while senior co-captain Alicia Salas (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek H.S.) is saving a playing date in anticipation of her taking part in the qualifying of the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships, beginning Tuesday. It is the first of three collegiate tennis grand slam events of the season.
Kentucky Fall Classic
Singles
White Flight championship
Sarah Foster (Kentucky) d. Kristina Stastny (ND) 6-3, 6-3
White Flight third place
Christian Thompson (ND) d. Alyssa Rodriguez (Purdue) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
White Flight consolation
Joelle Schwenk (UK) d. Sarah Jane Connelly (ND) 6-4, 6-3
Blue Flight championship
Aibika Kalsarieva (UK) d. Catrina Thompson (ND) 6-3, 7-5
Blue Flight third place
#39 Megan Muth (William & Mary) d. Lauren Connelly (ND) 6-0, 6-2
Green Flight third place
Kelly Nelson (ND) d. Lindsey Adams (Ohio State) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Green Flight consolation
Emily Neighbours (ND) d. Alex DeGuzman (W&M) 6-3, 6-3
Red Flight championship
Liz Donohue (ND) d. Laura McNamara (Middle Tennessee State) 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 6-4