March 30, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels today, 5-2. Despite a lot of fight from the Irish, the team ultimately fell to a 13-7 record. As the weather crept up above 50 degrees, it was also the first home match that Notre Dame has played outdoors so far this season.
“It was a good level,” said head coach Ryan Sachire. “It was two teams that are very, very good-two teams that are going to be there toward the end of the NCAA tournament. Two teams that went to battle today, and it was a lot of fun to be a part of. Unfortunately we didn’t show up in two of the seven positions, and you can’t beat a great team unless you have literally all spots going. We’ll refocus our guys and make sure that never happens again.”
North Carolina made a clean sweep of the Irish in the doubles matches. The first to fall was Notre Dame’s No. 2 team of senior Billy Pecor and freshman Josh Hagar, who lost to Oystein Steiro and Nelson Vick, 8-1. At No. 1, senior Greg Andrews and sophomore Alex Lawson fell to Brett Clark and Brayden Schnur, 8-2. Sophomore Quentin Monaghan and freshman Eddy Covalschi finished up their match on court three, losing to Ronnie Schneider and Jack Murray, 8-3.
Steiro defeated Covalschi at No. 5 in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. After a rough first set, senior Ryan Bandy battled against Schneider to lead in the second set but ultimately fell, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 2.
North Carolina clinched the match at No. 4, where Hagar fell to Murray in a second-set tiebreaker, 6-3, 7-6(2). Hagar came back from several match points when he was down 5-4 in the second set to compete in the tiebreaker.
Monaghan put up the first Irish victory, defeating Brett Clark in three sets at No. 3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Andrews fell behind in his match against 10th-ranked Brayden Schnur early in the first set but came back to make it close. After a tough 7-5 loss in the first set, Andrews came back with a vengeance to defeat Schnur, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1.
“It was a great win for Greg,” Sachire added. “The kid is an amazing leader. He does the right things and has a great work ethic and a great mindset. He’s one of the best players in the country and he beat another elite player. Total respect for Brayden Schnur, but Greg did a great job today. He followed the process that we established for him to win that match.”
Finally, sophomore Eric Schnurrenberger lost an impossibly close match to Nelson Vick in which both sets went to tiebreakers. Vick won the match at No. 6, 7-6, 7-6.
Notre Dame continues on this weekend with matches against both Wake Forest and North Carolina State.
Singles
1. Greg Andrews (ND) def. Brayden Schnur (UNC), 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
2. Ronnie Schneider (UNC) def. Ryan Bandy (ND), 6-3, 6-4.
3. Quentin Monaghan (ND) def. Brett Clark (UNC), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
4. Jack Murray (UNC) def. Josh Hagar (ND), 6-3, 7-6(2)
5. Oystein Steiro (UNC) def. Eddy Covalschi (ND), 6-1, 6-3
6. Nelson Vick (UNC) def. Eric Schnurrenberger (ND), 7-6, 7-6
Doubles
1. Brett Clark/Brayden Schnur (UNC) def. Greg Andrews/Alex Lawson (ND), 8-2
2. Oystein Steiro/Nelson Vick (UNC) def. Billy Pecor/Josh Hagar (ND), 8-1
3. Ronnie Schneider/Jack Murray (UNC) def. Quentin Monaghan/Eddy Covalschi (ND), 8-3
–Lauren Chval, Media Relations Assistant
–ND–