April 9, 2003
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team (7-11) won two third-set singles matches to defeat Ball State (13-7), 5-2 on Wednesday at the Eck Tennis Pavillion. It was the seventh time in eleven matches that the Irish have seen three or more singles matches go beyond two sets.
After losing the doubles point, Notre Dame surged to a 3-1 lead in singles, leaving the outcome of the match up to the three remaining matches, all in the third set. Posting the only singles win for Ball State, Kevin Burnett topped sophomore Brent D’Amico (Castle Rock, Colo./St. Stephen’s Episcopal School) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to put the Cardinals within reach at 3-2. Junior tri-captain Luis Haddock (Caguas, P.R./Notre Dame H.S.) clinched the win for the Irish, beating Granger, Indiana-native and St. Joseph’s graduate Chris Varga 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. In the last match on the court at the No. 5 position was Nicolas Lopez-Acevedo (Guaynbo P.R./Colegio Marista) who outlasted Patrick Thompson 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.
The Irish, who defeated the Cardinals for the 14th sraight time, moved within a point of victory, winning in straight-sets their first three singles matches. At No. 6, freshman Patrick Buchanan (Fullerton, Calif./Servite H.S.) beat Klint Knable 6-4, 6-1. Senior tri-captain Brian Farrell (Lilburn, Ga./St. Pius X H.S.) posted a win at No. 4 over Matt Laramore 6-3, 6-3. Picking up his eighth win of his last eleven matches at No 2. was junior tri-captain Matthew Scott (Oakton, Va./International School of Paris) over Matthew Baccarani 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.
The Cardinals grabbed the doubles point as the Irish struggled, losing all three matches. At. No. 1, Baccarani and Burnett beat D’Amico and Scott 8-5. Knable and Andy Rhodes clinched the point for Ball State with an 8-5 win over junior Ben Hatten (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill H.S.) and sophmore Paul McNaughton (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central High). At No. 3, Varga and Thompson completed the doubles sweep, edging out Farrell amd Haddock 9-8 (7-5).
#60 Notre Dame 5, #66 Ball State 2
Singles
No. 1: *#97 Luis Haddock (ND) d. Chris Varga (BSU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
No. 2: Matthew Scott (ND) d. Matthew Baccarani (BSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
No. 3: Kevin Burnett (BSU) d. Brent D’Amico (ND) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 4: Brian Farrell (ND) d. Matt Laramore (BSU) 6-3, 6-3
No. 5: Nicolas Lopez-Acevedo (ND) d. Patrick Thompson (BSU) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
No. 6: Patrick Buchanan (ND) d. Klint Knable (BSU) 6-4, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 4, 2, 3, 1*, 5
Doubles
No. 1: Baccarani/Burnett (BSU) d. D’Amico/Scott (ND) 8-5
No. 2: Thompson/Varga (BSU) d. Farrell/Haddock (ND) 9-8 (7-5)
No. 3: *Knable/Andy Rhodes (BSU) d. Ben Hatten/Paul McNaughton (ND) 8-5
Order of Finish: 1, 3*, 2
* denotes clinching match
Team Records: Notre Dame 7-11, Ball State 13-7
— ND —