Feb. 17, 2018
By Joanne Norell
SEATTLE — Though a top-5 win in doubles helped the University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team to an early lead, the No. 22 Irish (7-2) struggled to find a third singles win Saturday in a 4-3 loss to No. 11 Florida (5-3) in the consolation bracket of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship at the Seattle Tennis Club.
How It Happened
Doubles came down to the third match, with a top-5 win on Court 1 giving the first point to the Irish. After junior Grayson Broadus and sophomore Guillermo Cabrera defeated Johannes Ingildsen and Chase Perez-Blanco 6-3 at No. 3 the Gators evened the odds when Alfredo Perez and Oliver Crawford defeated sophomore Matt Gamble and freshman Richard Ciamarra 6-4 at No. 2. On Court 1, senior Brendon Kempin and freshman Tristan McCormick broke fifth-ranked McClain Kessler and Duarte Vale early and held on for the 6-4 victory to give Notre Dame the point.
Notre Dame snared a 2-0 lead when freshman William Howells, into the lineup after senior Alex Lebedev was scratched, defeated Kessler 6-0, 6-2 on Court 6, and Ciamarra downed No. 43 Duarte Vale 6-3, 6-4 at No. 3.
But Florida, which won first sets on each of the remaining courts, went on to convert on Courts 1, 2, 4 and 5 to snatch the win.
Up Next
The Irish will face No. 20 Duke on Sunday to wrap the weekend at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. The time of the match has not yet been announced.
No. 11/12 Florida 4, No. 22/16 Notre Dame 3
Feb. 17, 2018
Seattle Tennis Club
Seattle, Wash.
Singles
1. No. 9 Alfredo Perez (UF) def. No. 118 Guillermo Cabrera (ND) 6-1, 6-4
2. No. 7 Johannes Ingildsen (UF) def. Tristan McCormick (ND) 6-4, 6-2
3. Richard Ciamarra (ND) def. No. 43 Duarte Vale (UF) 6-3, 6-4
4. Oliver Crawford (UF) def. Matt Gamble (ND) 6-4, 6-2
5. Andy Andrade (UF) def. Grayson Broadus (ND) 6-4, 6-0
6. William Howells (ND) def. McClain Kessler (UF) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
1. Brendon Kempin / Tristan McCormick (ND) def. No. 5 McClain Kessler / Duarte Vale (UF) 6-4
2. Alfredo Perez / Oliver Crawford (UF) def. Richard Ciamarra / Matt Gamble (ND) 6-4
3. Grayson Broadus / Guillermo Cabrera (ND) def. Johannes Ingildsen / Chase Perez-Blanco (UF) 6-3
–ND–
Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame men’s tennis and fencing programs, in addition to assisting with football communications and overseeing production of the football Gameday Magazine. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2013.