April 25, 2007
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Notre Dame seniors Catrina Thompson (Las Vegas, NV), Christian Thompson (Las Vegas, NV), sophomore Kelcy Tefft (Enid, OK) and freshman Colleen Rielley (Overland Park, KS) were named to the Singles BIG EAST Conference Women’s Tennis All-Tournament Team following a vote by the league’s head coaches on Wednesday. The Thompson twins, as well as the doubles tandem of junior Brook Buck (Yukon, OK) and Tefft were awarded similar honors in doubles. The Irish have now had honorees in both singles and doubles in all five years since the debut of the awards.
Catrina Thompson, the Most Outstanding Performer in the BIG EAST Tournament each of the past two seasons, went 2-1 in her three matches over the weekend. She cruised past Christine Burek of UConn and Kylie Moore of Marquette in the quarterfinals and semifinals, dropping just a single game, before losing a heartbreaking, three-set affair to BIG EAST Player of the Year Shadisha Robinson of USF in the title match. Thompson, ranked 32nd in the most recent FILA/ITA rankings, is 25-10 on the season and 20-7 in dual action – all at No. 1 singles.
Christian Thompson did lose the only match that was official, but led both of her matches in the quarterfinals and semifinals by significant margins. She is 18-14 overall, including 15-10 in dual matches.
The Thompsons, ranked 11th in the most recent poll, cruised through their three matches over the weekend in doubles. They opened the tournament with an 8-1 rout of Christine Burek and Elizabeth Dibbs of UConn. The All-Americans then bounced Maria Calbeto and Kylie Moore of Marquette by an identical 8-1 score. The Thompsons closed the tournament with an 8-4 triumph over Jessica Sweeting and Gabriela Duch of USF. They now stand 28-8 on the season, 20-5 in dual action and 100-38 for their career.
Rielley posted a 2-0 record at No. 3 singles for Notre Dame. She also led the other match that went unfinished, 6-0, 5-1. Rielley knocked off Maria Calbetto of Marquette, 6-0, 6-4, in the semifinals, before breezing past Jessica Sweeting of USF, 6-1, 6-3, in the final. Rielley now stands 27-10 on the season, including 16-7 in dual matches. After opening the season at 3-6 at No. 2 singles, she has gone 13-1 at No. 3.
Tefft defeated Liz Cruz of USF, 7-5, 6-1, in the title match. She was on the verge of victories in each of her matches in the quarterfinal and semifinal matches against UConn and Marquette, but each was halted. She now stands 24-7 on the season and 19-4 in dual matches, including 14-4 at No. 4 singles.
The 19th-ranked duo of Buck and Tefft went 2-0 in the tournament. They surrendered just two games in their two victories entering the title match with USF. Buck and Tefft are now 23-5 on the season and 15-2 in dual matches – all at No. 2. They also improved to 57-11 for their career.
Notre Dame earned an automatic bid to play in the 2007 NCAA Division I Championship, which will see the first two round played on campus sites from May 11-13 and the final four rounds contested at the University of Georgia from May 17-22. The NCAA selection show will take place on Tuesday, May 1, at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPNews.
— ND —