Feb. 13, 2000
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The 17th-ranked Notre Dame women’s tennis lost just one match in beating 47th-ranked Illinois 8-1 on Sunday at the Eck Tennis Pavilion. Sophomore Lindsey Green won for the sixth time in as many matches in the spring dual-match season to clinch the win for the consecutive match after also recording the decisive point against 39th-ranked Maryland on Friday. The Irish improve to 5-1on the season with their eighth consecutive victory against the Illini, who fall to 2-5 with the loss. Notre Dame returns to action at the USTA/ITA National Team Indoor Championships Feb. 17-20.
The Irish built a quick 3-0 lead by losing just 13 games at Nos. 1-3 singles. Junior All-American Michelle Dasso rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 win over Eldina Fazlic at No. 1 singles, before senior Kelly Zalinski defeated Natalia Manasova 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3 singles. Sophomore Becky Varnum won the final three games of the match, including two breaks of serve, to beat Brooke Ferney 6-1, 7-5 at No. 2 singles for a 3-0 lead.
Junior Kimberly Guy put the Irish ahead 4-0 when she held on for a 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) win over Megan Wise at No. 6 singles after Wise twice served for the second set at 5-4 and 6-5. Green then saved six set points at 4-5 in the second set of her 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) win over Michelle Webb at No. 5 singles for an insurmountable 5-0 lead. Illinois’ Natasha Loebnitz provided the only win for the Illini with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over sophomore Nina Vaughan at No. 4 singles.
Notre Dame completed the 8-1 win with a sweep of the doubles. Green and Zalinski rolled to an 8-2 win over Manasova and Carla Rosenberg at No. 3 doubles before Dasso and Varnum downed Ferney and Loebnitz 8-4 at No. 1 doubles. Freshman Katie Cunha and Guy rallied from 0-3 and two set points down at 7-8 for a 9-8 (7-0) win over Simone Kung and Webb at No. 2 doubles.
#17 NOTRE DAME 8, #47 ILLINOIS 1
Singles
No. 1: #42 Michelle Dasso (ND) def. Eldina Fazlic (I) 6-1, 6-1
No. 2: #101 Becky Varnum (ND) def. Brooke Ferney (I) 6-1, 7-5
No. 3: Kelly Zalinski (ND) def. Natalia Manasova (I) 6-4, 6-1
No. 4: Natasha Loebnitz (I) def. Nina Vaughan (ND) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
No. 5: Lindsey Green (ND) def. Michelle Webb (I) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
No. 6: Kimberly Guy (ND) def. Megan Wise (I) 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)
Doubles
No. 1: #10 Dasso/Varnum (ND) def. Ferney/Loebnitz (I) 8-4
No. 2: #15 Katie Cunha/Guy (ND) def. Simone Kung/Webb (I) 9-8 (7-0)
No. 3: Green/Zalinski (ND) def. Manasova/Carla Rosenberg (I) 8-2