Nov. 9, 2003
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Notre Dame women’s tennis team ended the fall season winning five matches on Sunday in the Atkins Tennis Center on final day of the Illinois Midwest Blast. The Irish will return to the courts in January, making their third straight appearance in the Kickoff Classic at UNLV from January 16-18, 2004.
Freshmen Christian Thompson (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman H.S.) and Catrina Thompson (Las Vegas, Nev./Bishop Gorman H.S.) picked up an 8-3 doubles win over Virginia’s Lauren Bruch and Mariko Fritz-Krockow.
Catrina Thompson also posted a win in singles, beating Illinois’ Isabel Jarosz in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1.
Senior Emily Neighbours (Indianapolis, Ind./Park Tudor School) defeated Illinois’s Leila Cehajic in a match tiebreaker, 6-7, 7-5, 1-0 (10-8).
Junior Sarah Jane Connelly (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness H.S.) came out strong against the Illini’s Brianna Knue winning the first set 6-1. Knue battled back in the second set, but Connelly prevailed winning 7-6, 9-7 in the tiebreaker.
Sophomore Kelly Nelson (St. Petersburg, Fla./Shorecrest Preparatory School) won a three set decision over Emily Wang of Illinois, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2.
The Midwest Blast features a “hidden dual” format, in which teams play simulated dual matches against each other, but no team scores are recorded. All individual results are counted for ranking purposes.
Midwest Blast
Doubles
Catrina Thompson/Christian Thompson (ND) def. Lauren Bruch/Mariko Fritz-Krockow (VA), 8-3
Kristen James/Shannon Stough (VA) def. Lauren Connolly/Kristina Stastny (ND), 8-4
Caroline Hammond/Dora Bechliwanis (VA) def. Liz Donahue (ND)/ Emily Neighbours (ND), 8-5
Singles
Tiffany Eklov (ILL) def. Christian Thompson (ND), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Catrina Thompson (ND) def. Isabel Jarosz (ILL), 6-3, 6-1
Cynthya Goulet (ILL) def. Kristina Stastny (ND), 6-4, 6-2
Sarah Jane Connolly (ND) def. Brianna Knue (ILL), 6-1, 7-6 (9)
Kelly Nelson (ND) def. Emily Wang (ILL), 6-4, 6-7, 6-2
Pavlina Akritas (ILL) def. Liz Donohue (ND), 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
Emily Neighbours (ND) def. Leila Cehajic (ILL), 6-7, 7-5, (10-8)
— ND —