November 6, 1998

Varnum Advances to Semifinals at ITA MIdwest Championships Women’s tennis standout upsets two seeded players, resumes play Nov. 7.

Singles Lower
Singles Upper
Singles Consolation
Doubles Main
Doubles Consolation

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame freshman Becky Varnum upset two seeded players to advance to the semifinals of the ITA Midwest Region Singles and Doubles Championships at Notre Dame’s Eck Tennis Pavilion.

Varnum defeated Alice Rangsithienchai (a nine through 16 seed) from Minnesota in straight sets 7-5, 6-1 in third round action and then beat Jean Kansuthi (another player seeded nine through 16) of Eastern Michigan in the quarterfinals with a three-set 6-1, 6-7, 6-1 win. Her 7-6 loss in the second set has been the only set she has dropped in the tournament.

Varnum will face another nine through 16 seed in the semifinals tomorrow when she plays Danielle Lund of Michigan. Lund upset Irish senior Jennifer Hall, the tournament’s number four seed, in the third round by posting a 2-7, 7-6, 7-6 victory. Lund then rallied in the quarterfinals after dropping the first set to post a 0-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Simona Petruitiu (a nine throught 16 seed).

Notre Dame sophomore Michelle Dasso, the defending ITA Midwest champion and tournament’s number one seed, was upset by Ana Fernandez (a nine through 16 seed) of Marquette in the third round as she dropped a three-set decision 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. All eight of the top seeds have fallen in the tournament. Fernandez will face an unseeded player in the semifinals when she takes on Simone Lung of Illinois.

All three of Notre Dame’s doubles teams remain alive. Dasso and Hall, the number three seeded double team, were straight-set winners 6-1, 6-1 over the Illinois-Chicago tandem of Jackie Farr and Xie. Lindsey Green and Sarah Scaringe advanced to quarterfinal play with a 6-4, 6-3 upset over the Iowa team of Shera Wiegler and Erin Wolverton, one of the five through eight seeds, 6-4, 6-3. The third double team to advance to tomorrow’s quarterfinal action was the tandem of Nine Vaughan and Kelly Zalinksi.

They beat the Purdue team of Jennifer Embry and Missy Wright, one of the tournament’s five through eight seeds, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.

Zalinski also is alive in the consolation singles. She won two straight set matchup with a win over Carrie Towsend of Northern Illinois 6-1, 6-0 and a second round win against Roz Sweeney of Wisconsin 6-3, 6-1.