March 2, 2002
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The 20th-ranked University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team won its fifth straight match Saturday afternoon, defeating #38 Ohio State 5-2 in the Eck Tennis Pavilion. The Irish lost the doubles point, but rallied to win each of the bottom five singles matches to gain the victory. Highlighting the win were singles victories over ranked players by seniors Nina Vaughan (Corona del Mar, Calif.) and Lindsey Green (El Cajon, Calif.). Notre Dame improved to 9-5, while Ohio State fell to 9-2. The Irish will return to action next Saturday, March 9, when they travel to Air Force to take on the Falcons at 1:00 p.m.
For the first time this season, Notre Dame lost the doubles point, but rallied to win the match. The Irish got off to a good start when sophomore Alicia Salas (Engelwood, Colo.) and freshman Sarah Jane Connelly (Oklahoma City, Okla.) gained an 8-5 win over Michelle Matko and Lindsay Williams at No. 3 to improve to 6-1 as a doubles team. Matko and Williams were 9-1 this spring entering the match. The Buckeyes struck back when Erica Fisk and Sadhaf Pervez registered an 8-3 victory at No. 2. In the deciding match, Meaghan Colville and Monica Rincon converted on their fourth match point to win 8-6 at No. 1 and give Ohio State a 1-0 lead.
The Irish were victorious in each of the first four singles matches off the court to secure the win. Green finished first with a 6-2, 6-0 upset victory over 82nd-ranked Pervez at No. 2. It marked the fifth victory over a ranked player for Green this season. Vaughan then completed her own upset, defeating #49 Fisk 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2. Fisk is the second top-50 player to fall victim to Vaughan this spring. The Irish took a 3-0 lead when junior Katie Cunha (Mercer Island, Wash.) turned in a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 5 over Williams. Not only was the loss the first for Williams this spring, but it also marked the first time in 11 matches that Ohio State lost at the No. 5 singles position. Connelly then clinched the victory for the Irish with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 6. After the outcome was determined, 85th-ranked Monica Rincon notched the lone Buckeye singles triumph with a 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7) win at No. 1. Salas won the final match on-court 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 1-0 (10-8) at No. 5.
Connelly’s win was her fifth in a row, while Cunha won her fourth straight. Salas improved to 13-1 in singles this spring. She is 20-4 overall and has won 16 of her last 17 matches.
The win marked the seventh straight for Notre Dame over Ohio State.
#20 Notre Dame 5, #38 Ohio State 2
Singles
No. 1: #85 Monica Rincon (OSU) d. #73 Becky Varnum (ND) 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)
No. 2: Nina Vaughan (ND) d. #49 Erica Fisk (OSU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 3: Lindsey Green (ND) d. #82 Sadhaf Pervez (OSU) 6-2, 6-0
No. 4: #127 Alicia Salas (ND) d. Michelle Matko (OSU) 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 1-0 (10-8)
No. 5: Katie Cunha (ND) d. Lindsay Williams (OSU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 6: Sarah Jane Connelly (ND) d. Lindsey Adams (OSU) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles
No. 1: Meaghan Colville/Rincon (OSU) d. #30 Green/Varnum (ND) 8-6
No. 2: Fisk/Pervez (OSU) d. Cunha/Vaughan (ND) 8-3
No. 3: Connelly/Salas (ND) d. Matko/Williams (OSU) 8-5