Junior Kristen Rafael clinched the win for the Irish with a victory at No. 5 singles.

Irish Women's Tennis Tops Ohio State 6-1

Jan. 25, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 17 Notre Dame women’s tennis team opened their 2009 dual-match season with a 6-1 win over 32nd-ranked Ohio State Sunday afternoon.

The match got underway with the No. 1-ranked Irish doubles duo of Kelcy Tefft and Kristy Frilling defeating Cami Hubbs and Christina Keesey, 8-3. Shannon Mathews and Colleen Rielley took down Kristen Flower and Angela DiPastina, 8-2, to earn the doubles point for the Irish. Cosmina Ciobanu and Kali Krisik dropped their match, 8-6, to Paloma Escobedo and Julie Blackmore.

Mathews notched the first singles point of the day, defeating Kelsey Haviland, 6-3, 6-2. Ohio State took the next point when DiPastina knocked off Rielley, 6-2, 6-3. No. 46 Krisik took down Hubbs, 6-2, 7-5, to move Notre Dame ahead, 2-1. The wins kept coming as No. 62 Kristen Rafael defeated Blackmore, 6-1, 6-3. No. 45 Tefft secured the win for the Irish when she downed Flower, 6-1, 6-3. No. 39 Frilling defeated Escobedo, 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6) to wrap up the match and put the Irish up 6-1.

Notre Dame moves to 1-0 on the season, while Ohio State falls to 1-1.

The Irish will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on Pepperdine Jan. 31., at 10 a.m.

Singles competition
1. #45 Kelcy Tefft (ND) def. Kirsten Flower (OSU) 6-1, 6-3
2. #39 Kristy Frilling (ND) def. Paloma Escobedo (OSU) 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6)
3. #46 Kali Krisik (ND) def. Cami Hubbs (OSU) 6-2, 7-5
4. #62 Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Julie Blackmore (OSU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Shannon Mathews (ND) def. Kelsey Haviland (OSU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Angela DiPastina (OSU) def. Colleen Rielley (ND) 6-2, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. #1 Kristy Frilling/Kelcy Tefft (ND) def. Cami Hubbs/Christina Keesey (OSU) 8-3
2. Paloma Escobedo/Julie Blackmore (OSU) def. Cosmina Ciobanu/Kali Krisik (ND) 8-6
3. Shannon Mathews/Colleen Rielley (ND) def. Kirsten Flower/Angela DiPastina (OSU) 8-2

Match Notes:
Notre Dame 0-0; National ranking #17
Ohio State 1-0; National ranking #32
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (5,6,3,4,1)
Attendance-124

–ND–