March 2, 2000
TOLEDO, Ohio — The 15th-ranked Notre Dame women’s tennis team won five singles matches and swept the doubles to beat 33rd-ranked Ohio State 8-1 on Thursday at the Laurel Hill Tennis Club in Toledo, Ohio. Irish sophomore Nina Vaughan rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Sadhat Pervez at No. 4 singles to clinch the win for the Irish, who improve to 9-4 with their fifth consecutive win over the 7-2 Buckeyes. Notre Dame plays its third match in four days against 36th-ranked Iowa on Sat., March 4, at 1:00 p.m. at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
Notre Dame jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead with four singles wins in straight sets. Sophomore Lindsey Green defeated Claudia Castro 7-5, 6-0 at No. 5 singles, just before junior All-American and 48th-ranked Michelle Dasso beat 36th-ranked Kristy Dascoli 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1 singles. Senior Kelly Zalinski then downed Michelle Matko 7-6 (5), 6-1 at No. 3 singles for a 3-0 lead. Freshman Katie Cunha improved to 3-0 in 2000 dual matches with a 7-5, 6-0 victory at No. 6 singles over Laura Maloney. After Vaughan clinched the win, Monica Rincon claimed Ohio State’s only win with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 decision over sophomore Becky Varnum at No. 2 singles.
Notre Dame then won 8-2 at No. 3 doubles and 8-5 at No. 1 doubles. Zalinski and senior Sarah Scaringe completed the sweep with a 9-8 (7) win at No. 2 doubles.
The match was played at the Laurel Hill Tennis Club in Toledo, Ohio, where former Irish women’s tennis player Kim Pacella (1988-91) serves as club president.
#15 NOTRE DAME 8, #33 OHIO STATE 1
Singles
No. 1: #48 Michelle Dasso (ND) def. #36 Kristy Dascoli (OSU) 6-2, 6-2
No. 2: Monica Rincon (OSU) def. Becky Varnum (ND) 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
No. 3: Kelly Zalinski (ND) def. Michelle Matko (OSU) 7-6 (5), 6-1
No. 4: Nina Vaughan (ND) def. Sadhat Pervez (OSU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
No. 5: Lindsey Green (ND) def. Claudia Castro (OSU) 7-5, 6-0
No. 6: Katie Cunha (ND) def. Laura Maloney (OSU) 7-5, 6-0
Doubles
No. 1: Cunha/Dasso (ND) def. Dascoli/Rincon (OSU) 8-5
No. 2: Sarah Scaringe/Zalinski (ND) def. Castro/Matko (OSU) 9-8 (7)
No. 3: Varnum/Vaughan (ND) def. Maloney/Pervez (OSU) 8-2