Feb. 2, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The women’s tennis match between Notre Dame and Indiana came down to just two points in a third-set tiebreaker today. Sophomore Quinn Gleason’s performance at No. 2 singles clinched a close 4-3 victory for the Irish.
In fact, five of the six singles matches came down to tiebreakers, and many of the Irish players pulled off strong comebacks.
“We’ve been way down to them two years in a row now and came back,” head coach Jay Louderback explained. “They’re a really good team. They looked especially good on doubles, which was the only area we disappointed in today.”
Indiana started up early by taking the doubles point. Senior Julie Sabacinski and freshman Mary Closs were first off the court at No. 3, falling to Alecia Kauss and Shannon Murdy, 6-3. Although they started out ahead, senior Jennifer Kellner and freshman Monica Robinson then lost to Kayla Fujimoto and Sophie Garre, 6-4. Senior Britney Sanders and Gleason’s match against Carolyn Chupa and Katie Klyczek was left unfinished, but the Irish trailed the Hoosiers, 4-2.
The Irish battled back in the score with the singles matches. Closs was the first off the court at No. 5, defeating Paula Gutierrez, 6-4, 6-2. After losing her first set, sophomore Julie Vrabel came back to win her match in a third-set tiebreaker. She beat Murdy at No. 6 singles, 4-6, 6-0, (10-5). And though she was down in her first set, Kellner came back to win it, 6-4. After losing the second set, she claimed her match against Alecia Kauss at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 2-6, (10-7). Notre Dame had taken the lead in the match, 3-2.
“Julie Vrabel did a great job after winning the first set,” Louderback said. “Tight first set, and then she just came back and ripped. She was 6-0 in the second and then was up the whole tiebreak. That was big for us. And then Jenny Kellner came back–we had a lot of comebacks. She had a great breaker.”
Robinson then fell at No. 4 to Garre in another third-set tiebreaker, 4-6, 6-3, (10-6). Klyczek defeated Sanders at No. 1, 6-1, 4-6, (10-2). Indiana had tied the match up, 3-3.
The match came down to a third-set tiebreaker at No. 2 singles. Gleason had fallen behind, 7-1 to Chupa in the tiebreak but fought her way back to win it, 12-10. The final score of her match was 6 (5)-7, 6-3, (12-10).
“Quinn came back from 7-1. Playing to 10, 7-1 is not good. But you can see that Quinn likes to be in that position. She was in it last year a lot. She doesn’t give up. She competes. She likes to be in it. If she played basketball, she would want to be the one shooting free throws at the end of the game,” Louderback laughed.
The Irish play again in two weeks against Michigan at home. The match will be at 1 p.m. Feb. 15.
Singles
1. Katie Klyczek (IU) def. Britney Sanders (ND), 6-1, 4-6, (10-2)
2. Quinn Gleason (ND) def. Carolyn Chupa (IU), 6 (5)-7, 6-3, (12-10)
3. Jennifer Kellner (ND) def. Alecia Kauss (IU), 6-4, 2-6, (10-7)
4. Sophie Garre (IU) def. Monica Robinson (ND), 4-6, 6-3, (10-6)
5. Mary Closs (ND) def. Paula Gutierrez (IU), 6-4, 6-2
6. Julie Vrabel (ND) def. Shannon Murdy (IU), 4-6, 6-0, (10-5)
Doubles
1. Carolyn Chupa/Katie Klyczek (IU) led Britney Sanders/Quinn Gleason (ND), 4-2
2. Kayla Fujimoto/Sophie Garre (IU) def. Jennifer Kellner/Monica Robinson (ND), 6-4
3. Alecia Kauss/Shannon Murdy (IU) def. Julie Sabacinski/Mary Closs (ND), 6-3
–Lauren Chval, Media Relations Assistant
–ND–