Oct. 25, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team concluded the 2010 USTA/ITA Midwest Regional Mon., Oct. 25 at the Eck Tennis Pavilion in Notre Dame, Ind. Casey Watt (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) was unable to advance to the final round after dropping a two-set match(6-3,6-4) to Matt Allare of Ohio State.
Watt was downed by Allare in the first set 6-3, but came out battling in the second set. He was up 3-0 before Allare topped him 6-3 to advance to the final round of singles.
Highlighting the tournament for the Irish were the 13-players in the 64-total main draw. Additionally, doubles partners, Stephen Havens (Cincinnati, Ohio/Hill Christian) and Tyler Davis (Nashville/Father Ryan) and Spencer Talmadge(Hillsborough Calif./Junipero Serra) and Niall Fitzgerald (Wicklow, Ireland/Blackrock College) advanced to the doubles quarterfinals.
“I felt we played as well as we have in four years,” says head coach Bobby Bayliss. “I am excited about our upcoming prospects. We were very deep in this tournament, having 13 players in a 64-man main draw. The combination of youth and experience this group has will allow us to compete much deeper into the NCAA’s.”
Ohio State’s Blaz Rola defeated teammate Matt Allare in the championship singles match 7-5, 6-4. On the doubles side Allare and Peter Kobelt of Ohio State defeated Dennis Nevolo and Abe Souza of Illinois in a close 9-8 (8) decision.
Rola, Allare and Peter Kobelt will compete in the National Indoor Championships, which will be played at the Billy Jean King Tennis Center in New York.
The Irish will take a week off before concluding their fall slate on Fri., Nov. 5 through Sun., Nov. 7. The team will split their squad with half of the student-athletes traveling to the Alabama Invitational in Tuscaloosa, Ala. and the rest competing at the William & Mary Invitational in Williamsburg, Va.
–ND–