Senior Cosmina Ciobanu advanced to the semifinals of the doubles competition at the Wildcat Fall Invitational with partner Colleen Rielley.Senior Cosmina Ciobanu advanced to the semifinals of the doubles competition at the Wildcat Fall Invitational with partner Colleen Rielley.

No. 2 Irish Women’s Tennis Downs Vanderbilt, 5-2

March 20, 2009

Box Score

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The second-ranked Irish women’s tennis team improved to 15-2 on the season with a 5-2 victory over No. 29 Vanderbilt Friday afternoon at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.

Notre Dame jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after sweeping the doubles matches. Cosmina Ciobanu and Kali Krisik downed Chelsea Preeg and Catherine Newman, 8-5, at No. 2 doubles, as Shannon Mathews and Colleen Rielley defeated Keilly Ulery and Courtney Ulery, 8-5, at third doubles to clinch the point for the Irish. Third-ranked Kelcy Tefft and Kristy Frilling handed Heather Steinbauer and Jackie Wu an 8-6 defeat at No. 1 doubles to complete the sweep.

Shannon Mathews put the Irish up 2-0 with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Steinbauer at No. 5 singles. Krisik downed Courtney Ulery, 7-5, 6-2, at No. 6 singles, while Ciobanu defeated Preeg, 7-5, 6-2, at fourth singles to clinch the win for Notre Dame.

No. 49 Frilling outlasted No. 112 Keilly Ulery, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, at No. 2 singles, while Kristen Rafael fell to No. 64 Wu, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1, at No. 3 singles. No. 33 Tefft dropped her No. 1 singles match to No. 64 Newman, 5-7, 6-7.

The Irish hit the road Sunday for a 1:00 p.m. matchup at Tennessee.

Notre Dame 5 Vanderbilt 2

Singles

1. No. 61 Catherine Newman (VU) def. No. 33 Kelcy Tefft 7-5, 7-6

2. No. 49 Kristy Frilling (ND) def. No. 112 Keilly Ulery 6-2, 5-6, 6-3

3. No. 64 Jackie Wu (VU) def. Kristen Rafael (ND) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1

4. Cosmina Ciobanu (ND) def. Chelsea Preeg (VU) 7-5, 6-2

5. Shannon Mathews (ND) def. Heather Steinbauer (VU) 7-5, 6-1

6. Kali Krisik (ND) def. Courtney Ulery (VU) 7-5, 6-2

Order of Finish: 5, 6, 4, 2, 3, 1

Doubles

1. No. 3 Tefft/Frilling (ND) def. Steinbauer/Wu (VU) 8-6

2. Ciobanu/Krisik (ND) def. Preeg/Newman (VU) 8-5

3. Mathews/Rielley (ND) def. K. Ulery/C. Ulery (VU), 8-5

Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1

–ND–