April 20, 1997

Irish Win Big East Championship

MIAMI, Fla. — The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team won the BIG EAST Conference championship title on Sunday as it posted a 4-0 win over Miami in the final match. Notre Dame won all three of its BIG EAST matches by identical 4-0 shutout scores and Irish head coach Jay Louderback was named the BIG EAST coach of the year. The Irish, who are ranked No. 23 in the country, improve to 17-10 on the season.

Notre Dame has now won six BIG EAST Conference titles this academic year: men’s golf, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and women’s swimming in addition to women’s tennis. The Irish women’s tennis team has now won both league titles during Notre Dame’s tenure in the BIG EAST.

Irish junior Kelley Olson and sophomores Marisa Velasco and Courtney Haskell were all winners in both doubles and singles in the win over the Hurricanes.

Notre Dame return to action May 9-11 when it plays host to the NCAA Midwest Regional. The Irish are expected to receive a bid to that event and the winner advances to the NCAA Championship in Palo Alto, Calif.

Notre Dame 4, Miami 0

Singles
No.1 Jennifer Hall (N) vs. Caroline Hora, susp.
No.2 Marisa Velasco (N) def. Selin Nassi, 6-4, 6-3
No.3 Tiffany Gates (N) vs. Victoria Hunt, susp.
No.4 Kelly Zalinski (N) def. Meredith Laughlin, 6-2, 6-2
No.5 Kelley Olson (N) def. Jennifer Jolyn, 6-0, 6-1
No.6 Darcie Sweet (N) vs. Kristina Bain, susp.

Doubles (most doubles wins are worth one match point)
No.1 Hunt and Hora (M) def. Hall and Gates, 8-1
No.2 Zalinski and Velasco (N) def. Nassi and Laughlin, 8-4
no.3 Olson and Courtney Haskell (N) def. Bain and Jolly, 8-3.