Oct. 18, 2012
URBANA, Ill. – University of Notre Dame women’s tennis junior Julie Sabacinski was victorious in her first match Thursday in the qualifying draw of the United States Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Midwest Regional at the Atkins Tennis Center.
Sabacinski (Plantation, Fla.) improved her singles record this season to a perfect 4-0 by defeating UIC’s Natasha Kuvakina in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2 in the semifinals. Sabacinski will face DePaul’s Ana Vladutu Friday at 10 a.m. (ET), with the winner earning a place in the tournament’s main singles draw.
Junior JoHanna Manningham (Mishawaka, Ind.) raced out to a 6-2 lead over Toledo’s Lexy Pitt in her first round match, but ultimately dropped a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 decision in other singles qualifier action.
The second day of the USTA/ITA Midwest Regional will also feature the first two rounds of the tournament’s doubles draw. Sabacinski and partner Britney Sanders (Ontario, Calif.), the No. 36 ranked doubles team in the ITA rankings, received a bye to the round of 32 and will play their first match of the event Friday at 6 p.m. (ET).
Other Notre Dame doubles pairs entered in the tournament include Manningham and freshman Quinn Gleason (Mendon, N.Y.), sophomores Molly O’Koniewski (Hilton Head, S.C.) and Katherine White (Columbus, Ga.), and co-captains Chrissie McGaffigan (Davenport, Iowa) and Jennifer Kellner (Smithtown, N.Y.).
Stay tuned to und.com all weekend long for coverage of the Fighting Irish at the USTA/ITA Midwest Regional.
USTA/ITA Midwest Regional – Qualifying Singles Draw – Thursday
Julie Sabacinski (ND) def. Natasha Kuvakina (UIC) 6-3, 6-2
Lexy Pitt (Toldeo) def. JoHanna Manningham (ND) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
USTA/ITA Midwest Regional – Qualifying Singles Draw Final- Friday
Ana Vladutu (DePaul) vs. Julie Sabacinski (ND) – 10 a.m. (ET)
USTA/ITA Midwest Regional – Round of 64 Doubles Draw – Friday
Becker / Flower (OSU) vs. Molly O’Koniewski / Katherine White (ND) – 4 p.m. (ET)
Quinn Gleason / JoHanna Manningham (ND) vs. Boulbaheim / Whitley (ELU) – 4:30 p.m.
USTA/ITA Midwest Regional – Round of 32 Doubles Draw – Friday
No. 36 Britney Sanders / Julie Sabacinski (ND) vs. Round of 64 winner – 6 p.m.
Chrissie McGaffigan / Jennifer Kellner (ND) vs. Round of 64 winner – 6:30 p.m.
–ND–