Feb. 12, 2000
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The 38th-ranked Notre Dame men’s tennis won a close doubles point and then split six singles matches for a 4-3 win over 54th-ranked Ohio State on Saturday at Eck Tennis Pavilion. Irish sophomore Andrew Laflin edged Buckeye junior Derek DeFalco 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 at No. 5 singles for the clinching victory. Notre Dame improves to 4-2 with its 12th consecutive win over Ohio State, which falls to 3-1 with the loss. The Irish return to action at 3:15 p.m. on Fri., Feb. 18, at the Eck Tennis Pavilion against 71st-ranked Wisconsin.
The Irish won the doubles point with wins at the Nos. 1 and 2 spots. Ohio State began with an 8-4 victory at No. 3 doubles. Notre Dame seniors Ryan Sachire and Trent Miller then rallied from 3-6 to beat Phillip Metz and B.J. Munroe 9-7 at No. 2 doubles. The 48th-ranked team of sophomores Javier Taborga and Aaron Talarico then won the clinching match 9-8 (7-5) over 36th-ranked Andrew Carlson and Chris Porter to give the Irish a 1-0 advantage.
The 14th-ranked All-American Sachire put Notre Dame ahead quickly with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Carlson at No. 1 singles. Metz pulled Ohio State to 2-1 with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Taborga at No. 3 singles after trailing 1-5 in the second set. Ohio State then tied the match 2-2 after 62nd-ranked Chris Porter beat sophomore Casey Smith 5-7, 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. Talarico then beat Vincent Ng 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) at No. 4 singles for 3-2 lead with his third consecutive win.
Laflin then clinched the win for the Irish with his second three-set win over DeFalco in as many dual matches. A break of serve at 3-3 in the third set proved to be the difference, as Laflin then held serve twice for the deciding win. In Notre Dame’s 7-0 win at Ohio State last year, Laflin defeated DeFalco 7-5, 6-7, 6-3 at No. 4 singles. Ohio State’s Bob Wellstein then concluded the match with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 win over Irish freshman Brian Farrell, who played in replace of Notre Dame’s injured 65th-ranked and No. 2 singles player Matt Daly.
#38 NOTRE DAME 4, #54 OHIO STATE 3
Singles
No. 1: #14 Ryan Sachire (ND) def. Andrew Carlson (OSU) 6-4, 6-4
No. 2: #62 Chris Porter (OSU) def. Casey Smith (ND) 5-7, 6-0, 6-0
No. 3: Phillip Metz (OSU) def. Javier Taborga (ND) 6-4, 7-5
No. 4: Aaron Talarico (ND) def. Vincent Ng (OSU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-3)
No. 5: Andrew Laflin (ND) def. Derek DeFalco (OSU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
No. 6: Bob Wellstein (OSU) def. Brian Farrell (ND) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1: #48 Taborga/Talarico (ND) def. #36 Carlson/Porter (OSU) 9-8 (7-5)
No. 2: Trent Miller/Sachire (ND) def. Metz/B.J. Munroe (OSU) 9-7
No. 3: DeFalco/Wellstein (OSU) def. James Malhame/Smith (ND) 8-4