Sept. 22, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team opens its 2011-12 season this weekend as the team heads to the Indiana Invitational Friday through Sunday at the IU Tennis Courts in Bloomington, Ind. In total, six Irish players are set to appear in the event.
The tournament, which runs throughout the day on each of the three days, features four singles draws along with one doubles draw that include members from the teams of Georgia, Kansas State, Notre Dame and the host Hoosiers, along with select entrants from Abilene Christian. On Friday, the first round of singles kicks off the action with the two early sessions (11 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.) before the first and second round of doubles takes the stage later in the afternoon (3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.).
Saturday marks the conclusion of doubles play with the third round kicking off the day at 10:30 a.m. before the championship round concludes the day at 3:30 p.m. Sandwiched in between the doubles sessions will be two second-round singles periods at 11:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The championship round of singles will be contested on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and Noon.
Notre Dame sends a near-full squad to Bloomington, with Chrissie McGaffigan (Davenport, Iowa), Jennifer Kellner (Smithtown, N.Y.), JoHanna Manningham (Mishawaka, Ind.), Julie Sabacinski (Plantation, Fla.), Britney Sanders (Ontario, Calif.) and newcomer Katherine White (Columbus, Ga.) representing the Irish.
Kellner faces off against talented Georgia player Chelsey Gullickson in her opening round singles match out of flight one, while McGaffigan and Sanders are set to compete in flight two against Alecia Kauss (Indiana) and Kate Fuller (Georgia), respectively. In flight three, Sabacinski faces Micah Hermsdorf of Abilene Christian while White squares off against Sophie Garre of Indiana. Manningham concludes the Irish entrants, taking on Indiana’s Shannon Murdy in flight four action.
In doubles, the Irish will roll out teams of Sanders and White, Manningham and Sabacinski and Kellner and McGaffigan in the 16-team flight.
Not competing at this weekend’s tournament for Notre Dame are seniors Kristy Frilling (Sidney, Ohio) and Shannon Mathews (Birmingham, Mich.), as they prepare to enter their respective draws at the All-American Championships at the beginning of October (Oct. 1-9).
Be sure to check back with und.com each day for a complete recap of the Irish at the Indiana Invitational.
Notre Dame's Friday Matchups:
Singles:Flight One:#87 Jennifer Kellner (ND) vs. #9 Chelsey Gullickson (UGA) - 11 a.m.
Flight Two:Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) vs. Alecia Kauss (IU) - 11 a.m.Britney Sanders (ND) vs. Kate Fuller (UGA) - 12:45 p.m.
Flight Three:Katherine White (ND) vs. Sophie Garre (IU) - 11 a.m.Julie Sabacinski (ND) vs. Micah Hermsdorf (ACU) - 12:45 p.m.
Flight Four:JoHanna Manningham (ND) vs. Shannon Murdy (IU) - 11 a.m.
Doubles:Sanders/White (ND) vs. Bonacic/Gomez (KSU)Manningham/Sabacinski (ND) vs. Kowase/Hart (UGA)Kellner/McGaffigan (ND) vs. Jerjomina/Kimbell (UGA)
Complete Tournament Schedule:
Friday, Sept. 2311 a.m. - Singles, Round 112:45 p.m. - Singles, Round 13 p.m. - Doubles, Round 14:30 p.m. - Doubles, Round 2
Saturday, Sept. 2410:30 a.m. - Doubles, Round 311:45 a.m. - Singles, Round 21:30 p.m. - Singles, Round 23:30 p.m. - Doubles, Round 4
Sunday, Sept. 2510:30 a.m. - Singles, Round 3Noon - Singles, Round 3
–ND–