March 20, 2016
By Matthew D’Alonzo ’19
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team overcame an early setback Sunday to dominate singles play against Atlantic Coast Conference rival Miami, earning a 5-2 decision at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
The Hurricanes (7-8 , 2-3 ACC) snared the doubles point over the Fighting Irish (10-8, 4-2 ACC) with decisions on Courts 1 and 3. On Court 1, Notre Dame junior Eddy Covalschi and senior Alex Lawson fell 6-3 to Miami’s Max Andrews and Bernard Tefel. On Court 3, junior Josh Hagar and senior Nicolas Montoya didn’t fare any better. Unable to capitalize on an early lead, they lost 6-4 to Jesse Flores and Kevin Bondar, and Miami earned the doubles point.
The Irish came back fighting in singles competition. Notre Dame started out by earning the first singles point on Court 1. There, No. 42 senior Quentin Monaghan quickly took down No. 28 Piotr Lomacki, 6-2, 6-4, his second straight win over a top-30 opponent.
Almost immediately after, Covalschi on Court 2 and Josh Hagar on Court 3 dispatched their respective Miami competitors, with Covalschi taking and easy 6-3, 6-2 win over Max Andrews and Hagar prevailing 6-4, 6-1 over Jesse Flores.
In a thrilling match on Court 5, freshman Grayson Broadus defeated opponent Kevin Bondar to clinch the win for the Irish. Broadus breezed to win the first set 6-1, but Bondar played tough in the second to force a tiebreaker. Broadus rallied from down 3-5 in the tiebreaker, winning four straight point to take the match, with a final decision of 6-1, 7-6(5).
The remaining matches on Courts 4 and 6 each went to three sets, with the Irish rallying from first-set losses to force the extra stanzas. On Court 4, Lawson turned in strong second- and third-set performances to defeat Fermin Calvo after dropping the first set, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. Finally, on Court 6, senior Kenneth Sabacinski fell to Tefel in a close match, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
Notre Dame 5, Miami 2
SINGLES
1. No. 42 Quentin Monaghan (ND) def. No. 28 Piotr Lomacki (UM), 6-2, 6-4
2. Eddy Covalschi (ND) def. Max Andrews (UM), 6-3, 6-2
3. Josh Hagar (ND) def. Jesse Flores (UM), 6-4, 6-1
4. Alex Lawson (ND) def. Fermin Calvo (UM), 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
5. Grayson Broadus (ND) def. Kevin Bondar (UM), 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
6. Bernard Tefel (UM) def. Kenneth Sabacinski (ND), 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
DOUBLES
1. Max Andrews / Bernard Tefel (UM) def. Eddy Covalschi / Alex Lawson (ND), 6-3
2. No. 71 Grayson Broadus / Quentin Monaghan (ND) vs. Piotr Lomacki / Nile Clark (UM), 5-5, unfinished
3. Jesse Flores / Kevin Bondar (UM) def. Josh Hagar / Nicolas Montoya (ND), 6-4
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Matthew D’Alonzo is a freshman student assistant for Fighting Irish Media, working with Athletics Communications Directors for Cross Country, Track and Field, Basketball, and Tennis. A Computer Engineering Major, Matthew is from Mobile, Alabama.