Nov. 6, 2010
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team posted a perfect ledger on day two of the Midwest Blast Saturday at the Atkins Tennis Center in Champaign. The Irish posted seven singles victories and a pair of doubles wins over the likes of Oklahoma, Memphis and Illinois.
The Irish kicked off the day with two doubles matches against Oklahoma. Shannon Mathews (Birmingham, Mich.) and Britney Sanders (Ontario, Calif.) teamed up to knock off Whitney Ritchie and Tara Eckel, 8-2, while Kristen Rafael (Grand Prairie, Texas) and Julie Sabacinski (Plantation, Fla.) formed the second Irish team and knocked off the Sooners’ pair of Maria Kalashnikova and Mia Lancaster by an identical 8-2 score.
Notre Dame paired up with Memphis in singles action, taking all six from the Tigers. Mathews posted her second win of the afternoon in taking down Courtney Collins with relative ease, 6-0, 6-4.
Sanders took on Memphis’ Kelly Gray and posted a straight-sets victory, taking the first set 6-3 before a perfect 6-0 second set closed out the match.
Rafael and Sabacinski also each claimed their second wins of the day, with Rafael turning away Kathleen Hawkins 6-1, 6-2 and Sabacinski defeating Andrea Arques-Garcia 6-2, 6-3.
Chrissie McGaffigan (Davenport, Iowa) and Jennifer Kellner (Smithtown, N.Y.) each made their first appearance in the singles session with both claiming straight-set wins. McGaffigan defeated Stefanie Mikesz by a score of 6-1, 6-3, while Kellner took down Sarah Witkowski 6-1, 6-0.
JoHanna Manningham (Mishawaka, Ind.) got in the action as well, squaring off with Illinois’ Annie McCarthy. She secured a 6-2, 7-5 victory in the match.
The Irish conclude play at the Midwest Blast on Sunday with doubles matches against the host Illini before playing singles against Oklahoma. Doubles are tentatively scheduled to get underway at 9 a.m. (CT).
Check back with und.com for a complete recap of final day action from Champaign.
Midwest Blast – Champaign, Ill. – Day Two:
Singles:
#42 Shannon Mathews (ND) def. Courtney Collins (MEM), 6-0, 6-4
Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Kathleen Hawkins (MEM), 6-1, 6-2
Britney Sanders (ND) def. Kelly Gray (MEM), 6-3, 6-0
Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) def. Stefanie Mikesz (MEM), 6-1, 6-3
Jennifer Kellner (ND) def. Sarah Witkowski (MEM), 6-1, 6-0
Julie Sabacinski (ND) def. Andrea Arques-Garcia (MEM), 6-2, 6-3
JoHanna Manningham (ND) def. Annie McCarthy (ILL), 6-2, 7-5
Doubles:
Shannon Mathews/Britney Sanders (ND) def. Whitney Ritchie (OU)/Tara Eckel (OU), 8-2
Kristen Rafael/Julie Sabacinski (ND) def. Maria Kalashnikova/Mia Lancaster (OU), 8-2
–ND–