The Notre Dame Men’s Tennis team started the season strong and won both parts of their double header at home today. They started with a 7-0 sweep of the DePaul Blue Demons followed by a 6-1 win over the IUPUI Jaguars to move to 2-0 on the year.
In doubles action against DePaul, the top pairing of senior Connor Fu and freshman Sebastian Dominko would get a late break in the set to win 7-5 over Jakic and Krivokapic. At the third position, senior Matt Halpin and freshman Evan Lee clinched the match with a 6-3 win over Almeida and Iaquinto to setup a 1-0 lead heading in to singles.
Freshman Sebastian Dominko, who is ranked #17 in the country in the ITA National Singles Rankings, was first off the court with a 6-4, 6-2 over Jakic. Dominko’s doubles partner Connor Fu was next off the court with a 7-6, 6-4 win at the #4 position to setup graduate student for the clinching point after a 6-3, 7-5 win at the #3 spot. The remaining matches would be played to completion with sophomore Yu Zhang picking up his first career dual match singles victory at #5 by a score of 6-4, 7-6. The last two matches on would be three setters and freshman Noah Becker seeing his first ever dual match end with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win at #6 singles. Senior Matt Che would wrap up the opening battle with a come from behind 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win at #2 singles to complete the sweep for the Irish.
Returning to the courts after a short break, Notre Dame would continue their good form with a quick doubles point. Dominko and Fu would again lead the way with a 6-3 win at the top position followed by Becker and sophomore Brian Bilsey clinching the early lead with a 6-2 win at #3 doubles.
In singles, the Jaguars would even the score picking up a win at #3 singles over sophomore Jamie Corsillo but that would be the only point tallied in their favor. Vashistha would fall behind 0-3 but went on a tear to win 12 of the next 13 games to secure the 6-3, 6-1 victory at the top singles spot. Bilsey finished a solid win at the #4 position to stretch the lead to 3-1 before senior Matt Halpin clinched the match with a 7-6, 6-1 victory at #5 singles. Once again, the final two matches would be played to completion and each would need a 10-point tiebreak to determine the winners. Freshman Evan Lee picked up his first career dual singles win with a 6-3, 5-7, 1-0(6) victory at #6 leaving Yu Zhang to finish off the day with a come from behind 3-6, 6-3, 1-0(6) win of his own to send the Irish into the weekend.
Up Next:
The Irish hit the road for the first time in the spring season to take on the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston Sunday at 1pm ET. After that, Notre Dame will head down the street to take on Chicago State at 7pm ET in another double header to conclude the weekend.
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Match 1: Notre Dame 7 – DePaul 0
Doubles
- Fu/Dominko(ND) def. Jakic/Krivokapic(DEP) 7-5
- Che/Zhang(ND) vs. Huck/Gitschel(DEP) DNF
- Halpin/Lee(ND) def. Almeida/Iaquinto(DEP) 6-3
Order of Finish (1, 3)
Singles
- Dominko(ND) def. Jakic(DEP) 6-4, 6-2
- Che(ND) def. Krivokapic(DEP) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
- Vashistha(ND) def. Iaquinto(DEP) 6-3, 7-5
- Fu(ND) def. Huck(DEP) 7-6(5), 6-4
- Zhang(ND) def. Almeida(DEP) 6-4, 7-6
- Becker(ND) def. Moser(DEP) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Order of Finish (1, 4, 3, 5, 6, 2)
Match 2: Notre Dame 6 – IUPUI 1
Doubles
- Fu/Dominko(ND) def. Jochim/Jankowski(IUPUI) 6-3
- Halpin/Lee(ND) vs. Kozerski/Ciszewski(IUPUI) 4-4 DNF
- Becker/Bilsey(ND) def. Benibo/Morehart(IUPUI) 6-2
Order of Finish (1, 3)
Singles
- Vashistha(ND) def. Jochim(IUPUI) 6-3, 6-1
- Zhang(ND) def. Ciszewski(IUPUI) 3-6, 6-3, 1-0(6)
- Kozerski(IUPUI) def. Corsillo(ND) 6-2, 6-1
- Bilsey(ND) def. Morehart(IUPUI) 6-2, 6-4
- Halpin(ND) def. Jankowski(IUPUI) 7-6(5), 6-1
- Lee(ND) def. Day(IUPUI) 6-3, 5-7, 1-0(6)
Order of Finish (3, 1, 4, 5, 6, 2)