March 12, 2010
HUMACAO, Puerto Rico – The third-ranked Irish women’s tennis team wrapped up its spring break trip with a 5-2 loss at the hands of No. 7 Duke Friday at the Villas at Palmas in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Notre Dame falls to 12-2 on the season, while the Blue Devils improve to 11-2.
The Irish took a 1-0 lead after winning the doubles point. The third-ranked duo of Kristy Frilling and Kali Krisik downed Ellah Nze and Amanda Granson, 8-2 at No. 1 doubles, while Cosmina Ciobanu and Colleen Rielley topped Monica Gorny and Jessica Stiles, 8-3 at third doubles. The match between Shannon Mathews and Chrissie McGaffigan and Elizabeth Plotkin and Reka Zsilinszka was tied at 4-4 when the doubles point was clinched for the Irish.
Ciobanu earned Notre Dame’s only other point of the day with a 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 102 Granson at fourth singles.
No. 69 Nze upset 14th-ranked Frilling, 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 (10-6), at No. 1 singles, while No. 64 Plotkin topped No. 92 Mathews, 6-2, 6-1, at second singles. No. 90 McGaffigan fell to No. 45 Zsilinszka, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 3, No. 125 Gorny edged Krisik, 6-3, 6-1, at No. 5 singles and Mary Clayton knocked off Kristen Rafael, 6-3, 6-0, at sixth singles.
The Irish will travel to Nashville, Tenn. for a match with Vanderbilt March 19.
#7 Duke 5, #3 Notre Dame 2
Singles
1. #69 Ellah Nze (DUKE) def. #14 Kristy Frilling (ND) 6-4, 6-7, 1-0 (10-6)
2. #64 Elizabeth Plotkin (DUKE) def. #92 Shannon Mathews (ND) 6-2, 6-1
3. #45 Reka Zsilinszka (DUKE) def. #90 Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) 6-1, 6-0
4. Cosmina Ciobanu (ND) def. #102 Amanda Granson (DUKE) 6-4, 6-2
5. #125 Monica Gorny (DUKE) def. Kali Krisik (ND) 6-3, 6-1
6. Mary Clayton (DUKE) def. Kristen Rafael (ND) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles
1. #3 Frilling/Krisik (ND) def. Nze/Granson (DUKE) 8-2
2. Mathews/McGaffigan (ND) vs. Plotkin/Zsilinszka (DUKE) 4-4, unf.
3. Ciobanu/Rielley (ND) def. Gorny/Stiles (DUKE) 8-3
–ND–