April 21, 2007
TAMPA, Fla. – The top-seeded and No.2-ranked Notre Dame women’s tennis team moved into the BIG EAST Conference Championship final following another convincing 4-0 victory, this time over fifth-seeded Marquette on Saturday at the USF Varsity Tennis Courts. The Irish will look for their eighth BIG EAST championship tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 p.m. against second-seeded USF.
Notre Dame was overpowering for the second straight day. The Irish failed to drop a single set and captured 86 of the 107 games that were completed. Including yesterday’s victory over UConn, Notre Dame has won 177 of the 203 games finished. Of the three remaining singles matches that went unfinished, the Irish led in the second set in each after winning the first set.
Senior All-American twins Catrina Thompson (Las Vegas, NV) and Christian Thompson (Las Vegas, NV) were first off the court in doubles, recording an 8-1 rout of Kylie Moore and Maria Calbeto at No. 1. The Irish duo is now 27-8 on the season and 19-5 in dual matches (all in the top spot of the lineup). The Thompsons improved to 99-38 overall and 56-25 in dual action for their careers.
Junior Brook Buck (Yukon, OK) and sophomore Kelcy Tefft (Enid, OK) had little trouble in their victory over Shannon Brown and Elly Strother, 8-2, at No. 2. The tandem now stands 23-5 overall and 15-2 in dual action. They improve to 57-11 for their career and 39-6 in dual action.
Freshman Cosmina Ciobanu (Brea, CA) and freshman Kali Krisik (Arkansas City, KS) led their match against Francina Erin Bonnelly and Watkins, 5-3, when it was halted.
Catrina Thompson was the first off the court in singles. She dismantled Moore, 6-1, 6-0, in straight sets. Thompson improves to 25-9 overall and 20-6 in dual matches. She now stands 98-46 for her career and 68-31 in dual play. Thompson has lost just a single game in two matches from the tournament.
Ciobanu made quick work of Brown at No. 5 in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1. She extended her winning streak to 24 matches and remains the only Notre Dame player (one of two freshman nationwide ranked among the top 50) undefeated in dual action. Ciobanu now stands 34-4 overall and 24-0 in dual matches, both currently rank as the best in single-season school history. The victory almost moved out of a five-way tie for fifth on the single-season victory total.
Freshman Colleen Rielley (Overland Park, KS) clinched the match for the Irish. Rielley upended Calbeto at No. 3, 6-0, 6-4. Rielley improves to 26-10 overall and 16-7 in dual action.
#2 NOTRE DAME 4, MARQUETTE 0
Singles
1. #26 Catrina Thompson (ND) def. Kylie Moore (MU); 6-1, 6-0
2. Christian Thompson (ND) led Erin Watkins (MU); 6-0, 4-1
*3. #125 Colleen Rielley (ND) def. Maria Calbeto (MU); 6-0, 6-4
4. Kelcy Tefft (ND) led Robin Metzler (MU); 6-2, 4-0
5. #59 Cosmina Ciobanu (ND) def. Shannon Brown (MU); 6-0, 6-1
6. Katie Potts (ND) led Elly Strother (MU); 6-2, 3-3
Order of finish: 1,5,3
* clinching point
Doubles
1. #8 Thompson/Thompson (ND) def. Calbeto/Moore (MU); 8-1
*2. #19 Buck/Tefft (ND) led Brown/Strother (MU); 8-2
3. Ciobanu/Kali Krisik (ND) def. Francina Bonnelly/Watkins (MU); 5-3
Order of finish: 1,2
* clinching point
— ND —