March 2, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Saturday against DePaul and cruised to an eventual 5-2 over the Blue Demons inside the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
Katherine White claimed her first win in the dual season and put the Irish (9-3) up 2-0 with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Zaina Sufi. Quinn Gleason added to the lead at the No. 3 singles court, defeating Ana Vladutu 6-2, 6-3 to extend the Notre Dame advantage to 3-0.
Chrissie McGaffigan forced her second set into a tie-break after being down 6-4 against Kelsey Lawson. McGaffigan won the tie-breaker and the match with a score of 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) over Lawson. It was McGaffigan’s ninth win of the dual season and clinched the match for the Irish over DePaul (9-4).
Molly O’Koniewski needed a tie-breaker in the second before she could claim her seventh singles victory of the dual season. She defeated DePaul’s Jarret Fisher 5-2, 7-6 (7-4).
Jennifer Kellner and Britney Sanders both needed a third set to decide their singles matches. Patricia Fargas defeated Kellner 3-6, 6-1, 10-3 to claim the first point of the match for the Blue Demons. The outcome was similar at the No. 1 singles court, as No. 85 Matea Cutura slipped past No. 42 Sanders 7-5, 3-6, 11-9.
The Irish turned in a strong performance in the doubles competition, started by the No. 38 ranked pairing of Sabacinski and Sanders. The Notre Dame duo opened with a 6-1 lead that built to an 8-2 defeat of Lawson and Vladutu. The Irish secured the doubles point after Kellner and McGaffigan finished off DePaul’s Cutura and Fargas by a score of 8-5.
On the No. 3 doubles court, Gleason and White turned in a fine performance of their own. The pairing battled back from a 6-3 deficit and took a 7-6 lead before the match was abandoned after the doubles point was decided.
Notre Dame returns to the Eck Tennis Pavilion Sunday to play host to No. 2 Duke at 11 a.m.
No. 18 Notre Dame 5, No. 66 DePaul 2
Eck Tennis Pavilion
Notre Dame, Ind.
Singles
1. No. 85 Matea Cutura (DEP) def. No. 42 Britney Sanders (ND) 7-5, 3-6, 11-9
2. Patricia Fargas (DEP) def. Jennifer Kellner (ND) 3-6, 6-1, 10-3
3. Quinn Gleason (ND) def. Ana Vladutu (DEP) 6-2, 6-3
4. Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) def. Kelsey Lawson (DEP) 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
5. Molly O’Koniewski (ND) def. Jarret Fisher (DEP) 5-2, 7-6 (7-4)
6. Katherine White (ND) def. Zaina Sufi (DEP) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
1. Jennifer Kellner/Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) def. Matea Cutura/Patricia Fargas (DEP) 8-5
2. No. 38 Julie Sabacinski/Britney Sanders (ND) def. Kelsey Lawson/Ana Vladutu (DEP) 8-2
3. Quinn Gleason/Katherine White (ND) def. Zaina Sufi/Jarret Fisher (DEP) 7-6, unfinished
Match Notes
DePaul 9-4; National ranking No. 66
Notre Dame 9-3; National ranking No. 18
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (6,3,4,5,2,1)
T-3:05 A-80
–ND–