Jan. 23, 2016
By Joanne Norell
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – A back-and-forth contest came down to the final singles match on the court, but the No. 36 University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team dropped a narrow 4-3 decision to No. 24 Tulsa in the consolation match of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend at the Atkins Tennis Center.
The Irish (2-2) won the doubles point, taking the deciding match in a tiebreaker on Court 1 after splitting matches on Courts 2 and 3. Juniors Eddy Covalschi and Josh Hagar earned a 6-2 victory over Francois and Okie Kellerman at No. 2, but Tulsa evened the score as Juan Matias Gonzalez and Carlos Bautista defeated freshman Grayson Broadus and senior Eric Schnurrenberger 6-4 at No. 3.
At No. 1, sixth-ranked Alex Lawson and Quentin Monaghan held serve the entire match against Dylan McCloskey and Matthew Kirby, but the Irish duo gutted out a 7-6(3) win in the tiebreaker.
The Golden Hurricane (3-1) evened things at 1-1 as Danny Santos scored a quick win over senior Kenneth Sabacinski, 6-2, 6-1 on Court 6. Notre Dame and Tulsa traded the next two points as Hagar fell to Majed Kilani 6-3, 6-0 on Court 4, but 37th-ranked Monaghan made quick work of No. 51 Or Ram-Harel 6-1, 6-3 on Court 1.
Monaghan’s win over Ram-Harel avenged a three-set loss earlier this season at the Oracle/ITA Masters.
Notre Dame went to three sets on Courts 2, 3 and 5 to take the decision to the final match. Broadus forced three sets at the fifth slot, but ultimately fell to Gonzalez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Lawson fought back after dropping the second set at No. 3, defeating McCloskey 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-2. Covalschi also forced a third set with a tiebreaker win in the second set, but could not hold on as Bautista clinched the win for the Golden Hurricane with the 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-2 win.
The Irish will return to action next Friday as they travel to Evanston, Illinois to take on No. 25 Northwestern at 7 p.m. ET.
No. 24 Tulsa 4, No. 36 Notre Dame 3
SINGLES
1. No. 37 Quentin Monaghan (ND) def. No. 51 Or Ram-Harel (TU) 6-1, 6-3
2. Carlos Bautista (OSU) def. Eddy Covalschi (ND), 6-3, 6-7(1), 6-2
3. Alex Lawson (ND) def. Dylan McCloskey (TU) 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-2
4. Majed Kilani (TU) def. Josh Hagar (ND) 6-3, 6-0
5. Juan Matias Gonzalez (TU) def. Grayson Broadus (ND) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
6. Danny Santos (TU) def. Kenneth Sabacisnki (ND) 6-2, 6-1
DOUBLES
1. No. 6 Alex Lawson / Quentin Monaghan (ND) def. Dylan McCloskey / Matthew Kirby (TU) 7-6(3)
2. Eddy Covalschi / Josh Hagar (ND) def. Francois Kellerman / Okkie Kellerman (TU) 6-2
3. Juan Matias Gonzalez / Carlos Bautista (TU) def. Grayson Broadus / Eric Schnurrenberger (ND) 6-4
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Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2013.