Feb. 25, 2001

LAWRENCE, Kan. — The sixth-ranked Notre Dame women’s tennis team did not drop a set in beating Kansas 7-0 on Sunday to complete their three-match trip through Kansas with a 3-0 record. The Irish also beat Kansas State 4-3 on Friday and blanked BYU 7-0 on Saturday. Freshman Caylan Leslie recorded the clinching win with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Lisa Mallaiah at No. 4 singles. The Irish improve to 10-2 with the win — marking their best start since the 1995-96 team started 17-2. Notre Dame returns to action when it travels to 11th-ranked Northwestern on Thursday.

The fifth-ranked doubles team of senior All-American Michelle Dasso and junior Becky Varnum clinched the doubles point for the Irish with an 8-6 win over Kansas’ 36th-ranked Courtney Steinbock and Kristen Steinbock at No. 1 doubles. Sophomore Katie Cunha and senior Kimberly Guy won 9-7 at No. 2 doubles, while Leslie and junior Nina Vaughan won at No. 3.

Notre Dame did not drop a set in sweeping the six singles matches. Second-ranked Dasso beat Monica Sekulov 6-0, 6-4 at No. 1 singles, while Varnum blanked Sheryl Mallaiah 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. Vaughan defeated Courtney Steinbock 7-5,6 -2 at No. 3 singles, while Guy was a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Christi Wagenaar at No. 5 singles. Cunha defeated Emily Haylock 6-2, 6-2 at No. 6 singles.

#6 NOTRE DAME 7, KANSAS 0

Singles

No. 1: #2 Michelle Dasso (ND) def. Monica Sekulov (K) 6-0, 6-4

No. 2: Becky Varnum (ND) def. Sheryl Mallaiah (K) 6-0, 6-0

No. 3: Nina Vaughan (ND) def. Courtney Steinbock (K) 7-5, 6-2

No. 4: Caylan Leslie (ND) def. Lisa Mallaiah (K) 6-4, 6-2

No. 5: Kimberly Guy (ND) def. Christi Wagenaar (K) 6-2, 6-1

No. 6: Katie Cunha (ND) def. Emily Haylock (K) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles

No. 1: #5 Dasso/Varnum (ND) def. #36 Steinbock/Kristen Steinbock (K) 8-6

No. 2: Cunha/Guy (ND) def. Lisa Mallaiah/Sekulov (K) 9-7

No. 3: Leslie/Vaughan (ND) def. Haylock/Kim Lorenz (K) 8-5