April 8, 2016

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By Joanne Norell

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team needed just one more singles victory to clinch an Atlantic Coast Conference upset after taking a 3-0 lead over No. 31 Clemson on Friday at the Eck Tennis Pavilion, but the Tigers won four straight decisions to close out the match in a 4-3 Irish loss.

Notre Dame (10-10, 4-7 ACC) won the doubles point in comeback fashion as each of the Irish duos to win doubles matches did so after overcoming a two-game deficit. On Court 2, Irish junior Mary Closs and senior Julie Vrabel defeated Tristen Dewar and Ally Miller-Krasilnikov 6-4, winning four straight games after going down 2-4. On Court 1, senior Quinn Gleason and junior Jane Fennelly went down 0-2 to Fernanda Navarro and Ayan Broomfield, but came back to defeat the Tigers 6-4 to clinch the point.

Two quick wins gave the Irish a 3-0 lead early in the singles portion of the match. On Court 6, freshman Rachel Chong earned her first ACC victory in her first league appearance, upending Jenny Moinard 6-1, 6-2. Broda quickly followed with her team-best 15th win of the season in a 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Dewar at the No. 4 slot.

The Tigers (9-6, 7-3 ACC) pulled back into the match as No. 24 Joana Eidukonyte bested Notre Dame’s Allison Miller in a 6-2, 6-2 decision on Court 2, while No. 73 Broomfield ousted Gleason in a 6-2, 7-6(7) win on Court 1.

On Court 3, Closs fought her way back from a 1-4 deficit in the third set to tie it at 5-all, but could not hold on as Navarro tied the match with a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win. Miller-Krasilnikov clinched the win for the Tigers in a 7-6(8) 6-4 win over Fennelly on Court 5.

The Irish will return to action at 11 a.m. ET Sunday when they welcome No. 17 Georgia Tech to the Eck Tennis Pavilion.

No. 31 Clemson 4, No. 45 Notre Dame 3
SINGLES
1. No. 73 Ayan Broomfield (CU) def. No. 64 Quinn Gleason (ND) 6-2, 7-6(7)
2. No. 24 Joana Eidukonyte (CU) def. Allison Miller (ND) 6-2, 6-2
3. Fernanda Navarro (CU) def. Mary Closs (ND) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
4. Brooke Broda (ND) def. Tristen Dewar (CU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Ally Miller-Krasilnikov (CU) def. Jane Fennelly (ND) 7-6(8), 6-4
6. Rachel Chong (ND) def. Jenny Moinard (CU) 6-1, 6-2
DOUBLES
1. Quinn Gleason / Jane Fennelly (ND) def. Fernanda Navarro / Ayan Broomfield (CU) 6-4
2. Mary Closs / Julie Vrabel (ND) def. Tristen Dewar / Ally Miller-Krasilnikov (CU) 6-4
3. Brooke Broda / Allison Miller (ND) vs. Joana Eidukonyte / Jenny Moinard (CU) 6-6, unfinished

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To keep up with all things Irish women’s tennis, be sure to follow @NDWomensTennis on Twitter and like Notre Dame Women’s Tennis on Facebook.

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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 women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2013.