Junior Blas Moros won at six singles, 7-6 (5), 6-0.

Irish Record Third Sweep Of 2012; Move To 3-0 With Win Over William & Mary

Jan. 20, 2012

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Notre Dame 7, William & Mary 0 Get Acrobat Reader

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 28 Notre Dame men’s tennis team stayed hot on Friday night at the Eck Tennis Pavilion, recording its third consecutive sweep, as it defeated William & Mary, 7-0, to move to 3-0 on the season.

The 3-0 start to the season is the first for the Irish since the 2005 campaign, when they opened the year at 6-0.

“I was very pleased with how we came out and took care of business,” said head coach Bobby Bayliss. “I thought we came out and played well in doubles against a team that is known for strong doubles play. We have looked good in our first three matches, but we are about to find out on Sunday what type of team we have. Illinois is a fine team and we will have to play our best to have a shot at winning.”

Notre Dame had little trouble with the visiting Tribe, securing the doubles point in just under an hour, before taking all six singles matches in straight-set fashion.

The squad took an early 1-0 lead on the strength of a pair of victories in doubles. The No. 1 doubles duo of Casey Watt and Greg Andrews got the Irish started on the right note, as they breezed past the team of Will Juggins and Adrian Vodislav in just over 35 minutes, winning 8-1. The twosome is now 3-0 on the year with the win.

Notre Dame clinched a 1-0 lead when the team of Sam Keeton and Billy Pecor took down the Tribe’s Ben Guthrie and Ilja Orre, 8-4. Keeton and Pecor move to 2-0 on the season as a pair.

William & Mary’s Ben Hoogland and John Banks provided the lone bright spot for the Tribe, preventing the doubles sweep for Notre Dame, as they knocked off Niall Fitzgerald and Wyatt McCoy, 8-5.

The first five matches in singles finished in about an hour, leaving only the battle at six singles to go into the eight o’clock hour.

Andrews (3-0) gave the Irish at 2-0 lead at No. 2 singles, dispensing Juggins, 6-1, 6-2. Watt (3-0) followed closely behind at No. 1 singles, topping Anton Andersson, 6-3, 6-3. Keeton (2-0) knocked off Vodislav, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 3 singles, to clinch the victory for the Irish, while Fitzgerald (2-0) finished off Hoogland, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 4 singles. Pecor (2-0) gave Notre Dame a 6-0 lead with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Banks.

The best match of the day occurred at No. 6 singles, where Blas Moros (3-0) and Robert Pietrucha turned in a classic first set. All the other singles action had ended by the time it took the pair to conclude the first set as Moros eked out a 7-6 (7-5) victory to take the one set to none lead. The second set was a little more routine for the Boca Raton, Fla., native as he swept the set, 6-0, for the 7-6 (5), 6-0 victory.

The Irish will now hit the road for the first time this year, traveling to No. 17 Illinois on Sunday for a 4 p.m. (ET) match.

SINGLES

Singles No. 1
Casey Watt (ND) d. Anton Andersson (W&M), 6-3, 6-3

Singles No. 2
Greg Andrews (ND) d. Will Juggins (W&M), 6-1, 6-2

Singles No. 3
Sam Keeton (ND) d. Adrian Vodislav (W&M), 6-3, 6-3

Singles No. 4
Niall Fitzgerald (ND) d. Ben Hoogland (W&M), 6-3, 6-4

Singles No. 5
Billy Pecor (ND)
d. John Banks (W&M), 6-3, 6-2

Singles No. 6
Blas Moros (ND) d. Robert Pietrucha (W&M), 7-6 (5), 6-0

Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3, 5, 4, 6

DOUBLES

Doubles No. 1
Casey Watt/Greg Andrews (ND)
d. Will Juggins/Adrian Vodislav (W&M), 8-1

Doubles No. 2
Sam Keeton/Billy Pecor (ND) d. Ben Guthrie/Ilja Orre (W&M), 8-4

Doubles No. 3
Ben Hoogland/John Banks (W&M) d. Niall Fitzgerald/Wyatt McCoy (ND), 8-5

Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3

–ND–