Jan. 27, 2013
NORMAN, Okla. – Looking to regroup following a pair of tough 4-3 losses, the No. 30 University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team did just that with a 4-0 sweep of No. 31 Memphis Sunday at the Gregg Wadley Indoor Tennis Pavilion.
The win evens the Irish record at 1-1 for the ITA Kick-off Weekend, while improving their overall record to 3-2 early in the spring season.
Notre Dame won the doubles point by picking up wins at two and three, and then clinched the match with victories at three, four and five singles. The Irish are now 3-0 when they claim the doubles point and 0-2 when they do not.
The Irish return home next Sunday for a doubleheader with No. 5 Duke (12 p.m.) and IUPUI (6 p.m.).
“This was the best match we have played all year,” said head coach Bobby Bayliss. “I’m so proud of the team. Watching Wyatt McCoy serve out in the second set to clinch the match was very rewarding after some trouble in the last two matches. To see him come back and pull out the win speaks volumes about his character and future. Quentin (Monaghan) also had a great win at three over a guy that is ranked in the top 20 in the ITF world junior rankings.”
Notre Dame put the Northwestern and Harvard matches in its rear-view mirror quickly Sunday as the Irish claimed the doubles point with hard-fought wins at two and three. Ryan Bandy and Matt Dooley came back one day after getting swept, 8-0, to roll past David O’Hare and Lukas Vrnak, 8-1. The Tigers evened the score with a win at one doubles as Connor Glennon and Cedric De Zutter knocked off the No. 51 team of Greg Andrews and Spencer Talmadge, 8-6.
With the point on the line, the Irish turned to Billy Pecor and Alex Lawson at two. The duo came through by slipping past David O’Leary and Joe Salisbury, 8-6.
Needing just three wins in singles to clinch the match, the Irish went to work. No. 88 Pecor was the first off the court as he snapped a two-match losing streak with a 7-5, 6-1 win over No. 70 Johnny Grimal. No. 120 McCoy also snapped a two-match losing streak with a 6-2, 6-3 win over O’Leary at five. Monaghan clinched the match for the Irish with a 7-6 (2), 6-2 win over Lukas Vrnak at three.
Singles matches at one, two and six were abandoned with the match already decided.
SINGLES
1. #80 Greg Andrews (ND) vs. Connor Glennon (MEM) 2-6, 6-4, unfinished
2. #110 Blas Moros (ND) vs. #64 Joe Salisbury (MEM) 6-3, 3-6, unfinished
3. Quentin Monaghan (ND) def. Lukas Vrnak (MEM) 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
4. #88 Billy Pecor (ND) def. #70 Johnny Grimal (MEM) 7-5, 6-1
5. #120 Wyatt McCoy (ND) def. David O’Leary (MEM) 6-2, 6-3
6. Michael Moore (ND) vs. David O’Hare (MEM) 6-7 (2-7), unfinished
DOUBLES
1. Connor Glennon / Cedric De Zutter (MEM) def. #51 Greg Andrews / Spencer Talmadge (ND) 8-6
2. Alex Lawson / Billy Pecor (ND) def. David O’Leary / Joe Salisbury (MEM) 8-6
3. Ryan Bandy / Matt Dooley (ND) def. David O’Hare / Lukas Vrnak (MEM) 8-1
Match Notes:
Memphis 1-2; National ranking #31
Notre Dame 3-2; National ranking #30
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (4,5,3)
–ND–