Jan. 27, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The 33rd-ranked Notre Dame men’s tennis team won the doubles point and used four victories in the singles to defeat host and 32nd-ranked Ohio State 5-2 on Saturday. Junior Casey Smith improved to 4-0 this year at No. 1 singles to lead the Irish, who improved to 3-1 with the win. Notre Dame returns to action when it plays host to fourth-ranked Duke at noon on Sat., Feb. 10 at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
The 38th-ranked doubles pair of juniors Javier Taborga and Aaron Talarico clinched the first point of the match for the Irish with an 8-6 win over Andrew Carlson and Jonathon Scale at No. 1 doubles. Smith and freshman Luis Haddock-Morales were 8-4 winners at No. 2 doubles over Derek DeFalco and Bob Wellstein, while the Buckeyes were victories at No. 3 doubles.
With matches being contested on just three courts, Ohio State won at Nos. 2 and 3 singles to take a 2-1 lead. Smith then used a break of serve at 6-5 in the third set to beat Chris Porter 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 at No. 1 singles to knot the match at 2-2 after the three singles matches were played on the three courts. Haddock-Morales put the Irish ahead 3-2 when he also rallied for a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 win over Scale at No. 4 singles. Sophomore Brian Farrell clinched the win with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Adrian Bohane at No. 5 singles. Freshman Matthew Scott completed the 5-2 win by beating Martin Johansson 6-3, 6-0 at No. 6 singles.
#33 NOTRE DAME 5, #32 OHIO STATE 2
Doubles
No. 1: #38 Javier Taborga/Aaron Talarico (ND) def. Andrew Carlson/Jonathon Scale (OSU) 8-6
No. 2: Luis Haddock-Morales/Casey Smith (ND) def. Derek DeFalco/Bob Wellstein (OSU) 8-4
No. 3: Phil Metz/Chris Porter (OSU) def. James Malhame/Matthew Scott (ND) 8-4
Singles
No. 1: #95 Smith (ND) def. Porter (OSU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
No. 2: #38 Metz (OSU) def. #75 Taborga (ND) 6-3, 6-0
No. 3: Carlson (OSU) def. Talarico (ND) 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)
No. 4: Haddock-Morales (ND) def. Scale (OSU) 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
No. 5: Brian Farrell (ND) def. Adrian Bohane (OSU) 6-4, 6-4
No. 6: Scott (ND) def. Martin Johansson (OSU) 6-3, 6-0