Feb. 27, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Irish head coach Jay Louderback notched his 600th career win Saturday as the seventh-ranked Irish women’s tennis team topped No. 14 Georgia Tech, 4-3, at the Eck Tennis Pavilion. Notre Dame extended its win to streak to four matches and improved to 9-1 on the season.
One of the country’s most successful collegiate coaches, Louderback has a career record of 600-345, including a 396-165 mark at Notre Dame.
The Irish took the early 1-0 lead after winning the doubles point. Cosmina Ciobanu and Colleen Rielley jumped out to a 4-2 lead before winning four straight points to claim the 8-2 win over Lynn Blau and Elizabeth Kilborn at No. 3 doubles. Shannon Mathews and Chrissie McGaffigan battled Christina Ngo and Hillary Davis to an 8-4 victory at No. 2 doubles to clinch the point for the Irish. Playing in their first match as a duo this season, Kristy Frilling and Kristen Rafael fell to Sasha Krupina and Irina Falconi, 8-7, at No. 1 doubles.
The top-ranked Falconi tied the match at 1-1 and handed No. 23 Frilling her first loss of the season with a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles. Rielley put the Irish up 2-1 as she topped Davis 6-4, 6-0 at sixth singles.
Ciobanu defeated 2008 NCAA Singles Champion Amanda McDowell 6-1, 6-2, at No. 4 singles to give Notre Dame a 3-1 advantage. Ngo toppled McGaffigan 6-4, 6-4 at third singles to pull the Yellow Jackets within one.
Kristen Rafael battled Lynn Blau to a three-set thriller and clinched the win for the Irish with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 victory at No. 5 singles. Mathews fell to Krupina, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, at second singles to wrap up the match.
The Irish will host No. 13 Tennessee Sunday at 10 a.m.
Singles
1. #1 Irina Falconi (GT) def. #23 Kristy Frilling (ND) 6-0, 6-2
2. #112 Sasha Krupina (GT) def. Shannon Mathews (ND) 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
3. Christina Ngo (GT) def. Chrissie McGaffigan (ND) 6-4, 6-4
4. Cosmina Ciobanu (ND) def. Amanda McDowell (GT) 6-1, 6-2
5. Kristen Rafael (ND) def. Lynn Blau (GT) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4
6. Colleen Rielley (ND) def. Hillary Davis (GT) 6-4, 6-0
Order of finish: 1,6,4,3,5,2
Doubles
1. Krupina/Falconi (GT) def. Frilling/Rafael (ND) 8-7
2. Mathews/McGaffigan (ND) def. Ngo/Davis (GT) 8-4
3. Ciobanu/Rielley (ND) def. Blau/Kilborn (GT) 8-2
Order of finish: 3,2,1
–ND–