March 6, 2009
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The third-ranked Irish women’s tennis team rolled to a 7-0 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Friday afternoon inside the Eck Tennis Pavilion. The win improves Notre Dame to 12-1 on the season, while dropping Iowa to 6-6. The Irish have now won six straight and remain unbeaten at home (5-0) in 2009.
The Irish took the doubles point behind wins at second and third doubles. At second doubles, the Irish tandem of Cosmina Ciobanu (Brea, Calif./Troy) and Kristy Frilling (Sidney, Ohio/Stockdale) took out Lynne Poggensee-Wei and Kelcie Clockenga, 8-5. At third doubles, Shannon Mathews (Birmingham, Mich./Cranbrook-Kingswood) and Colleen Reilley (Overland Park, Kan./Bishop Miege) clinched the point for the Irish with a win over Alexis Dorr and Jennifer Barnes, 8-3. At third doubles, second-ranked Kelcy Tefft (Enid, Okla./Chisholm) and Kali Krisik (Arkansas City, Kan./Arkansas City) attempted to overcome a 6-1 deficit, but their comeback bid fell short as they were beaten by Iowa’s Sonja Molnar and Jessica Young, 8-7 (7-4).
Frilling gave the Irish a 2-0 lead, downing Dorr at No. 2 singles in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. Notre Dame then took a 3-0 lead when Krisik rolled past Barnes at No. 6 singles, 6-1, 6-1. Moments later the match was clinched for the Irish when Ciobanu shutout Clockenga, 6-0, 6-0.
Kristen Rafael (Grand Prairie, Texas/Nolan Catholic) won her match versus Poggensee-Wei at No. 3 singles, 6-1, 6-2. Mathews then kept the Irish run going as she defeated Young, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 5 singles. With the win, Mathews improved her singles record to 12-0 on the season, including a 9-0 mark at sixth singles and a 3-0 record at fifth singles.
Tefft, ranked 31st, finished off the Irish sweep with a hard-fought win at No. 1 singles over 75th-ranked Molnar, 6-4, 7-5. The senior All-American held serve to make it 6-5 and then broke Molnar to close out the match.
The Irish return to action on Wednesday, March 11 at South Florida. Notre Dame’s match versus the Bulls will begin at 1:00 p.m.
#3 Notre Dame 7, Iowa 0Eck Tennis Pavilion - Notre Dame, Ind.
Singles competition1. #31 Kelcy Tefft (ND) def. #75 Sonja Molnar (UI) 6-4, 7-52. #55 Kristy Frilling (ND) def. Alexis Dorr (UI) 6-1, 6-13. #114 Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Lynne Poggensee-Wei (UI) 6-1, 6-24. Cosmina Ciobanu (ND) def. Kelcie Clockenga (UI) 6-0, 6-05. Shannon Mathews (ND) def. Jessica Young (UI) 6-3, 6-26. Kali Krisik (ND) def. Jennifer Barnes (UI) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition1. Sonja Molnar/Jessica Young (UI) def. #3 Kelcy Tefft/Kali Krisik (ND) 8-7 (7-4)2. Kristy Frilling/Cosmina Ciobanu (ND) def. Kelcie Clockenga/Lynne Poggensee-Wei (UI) 8-53. Shannon Mathews/Colleen Rielley (ND) def. Alexis Dorr/Jennifer Barnes (UI) 8-3
Match Notes:Iowa 6-6; NRNotre Dame 12-1; National ranking #3Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,6,4,3,5,1)
— ND —