March 17, 2007
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 7 Notre Dame men’s tennis team advanced into the Blue Gray Classic finals after topping No. 26 Tulsa, 4-1, Saturday afternoon. The Irish improved to 14-2 on the season, while the Hurricane drop to 12-4.
Notre Dame will look to capture its first Blue Gray Classic title since 2001 and its third in school history. The Irish captured the championship during the 1993 season. Notre Dame knocked off Alabama for the title in 1993 and will hope to do the same tomorrow at noon. The Crimson Tide reached the finals after they defeated Boise State (4-2).
The Irish rebounded from their poorest doubles performance of the season. Notre Dame found itself in an early 1-0 deficit after it dropped matches at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles.
Tulsa’s No. 1 doubles team of Arnau Brugues and Federico Soriano took an 8-2 decision over the #13 duo of senior Ryan Keckley (South Bend, IN) and junior Sheeva Parbhu (Omaha, NE). Tulsa’s #41 pair of Diego Camacho and Ross Cunningham clinched the doubles point with an 8-3 win over senior Barry King (Dublin, Ireland) and sophomore Brett Helgeson (Overland Park, KS).
Senior Stephen Bass (Bronxville, NY) and junior Andrew Roth (Houston, TX) led their match at No. 3 doubles, 6-3, over Connelly and Maasdorp when it was halted.
Singles play was a different story for the Irish, however. #57 Parbhu quickly evened the score by downing Federico Soriano by a score of 6-4, 6-2, and #107 Helgeson grabbed a 7-6, 6-3 win over Ricardo Soriano to put Notre Dame ahead, 2-1.
#12 Bass dropped the opening set to #5 Brugues, 6-3, at No. 1 singles, but he stormed back in sets two and three to take a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 decision and give the Irish a 3-1 lead.
The match was clinched at the four position where King picked up a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over #120 Will Gray.
— ND —