Sept. 30, 2001
ATHENS, Ga. & PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Senior All-American Becky Varnum (Colorado Springs, Colo.) upset the 12th-ranked singles player in the nation as the University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team completed play Sunday in the Georgia Invitational in Athens, Ga. and the adidas Invitational in Palm Springs, Calif.
Varnum, ranked 48th nationally, beat All-American Anne Nguyen of Georgia 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the Georgia Invitational. The win marked the second day in a row Varnum knocked off a ranked opponent after she defeated #56 Alena Jecminkova of Kansas State 6-1, 6-0 on Saturday.
Throughout the tournament, Varnum registered five victories, including three doubles triumphs with fellow senior Lindsey Green (El Cajon, Calif.). Green also knocked off #100 Petra Sedlmajerova of Kansas State 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 on Saturday.
Sophomores Emily Neighbours (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Alicia Salas (Engelwood, Colo.) combined for a pair of doubles wins at the Georgia Invitational, while Neighbours also notched two singles victories. Also registering two singles wins was freshman Sarah Jane Connelly (Oklahoma City, Okla.), playing in her first collegiate event.
In the adidas Invitational, sophomore Caylan Leslie (Newport Beach, Calif.) lost in the consolation final on Sunday to UCLA’s Lauren Fisher, ranked 76th in the country, in a third-set tiebreaker 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4). Leslie lost Friday in the first round to eventual singles champion Megan Bradley of UCLA before winning three straight singles matches to reach the consolation final. Leslie and senior Nina Vaughan (Corona del Mar, Calif.) also combined for a doubles win on Friday and Vaughan won in singles on Saturday.
The Irish return to action October 19 when they host USC in a dual match. The Trojans finished 2000-01 ranked eighth in the nation and advanced to the national quarterfinals.
Singles
Georgia Invitational
#48 Becky Varnum (ND) d. #12 Anne Nguyen (Georgia) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
#58 Agata Cioroch (G) d. Lindsey Green (ND) 6-0, 6-4
#32 Lori Grey (G) d. Alicia Salas (ND) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
#75 Tina Hojnik (G) d. Katie Cunha (ND) 6-1, 6-2
Alexandra Smith (G) d. Sarah Jane Connelly (ND) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
adidas Invitational
#76 Lauren Fisher (UCLA) d. Caylan Leslie (ND) 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) (Consolation final)
#79 Mhairi Brown (Arizona St.) d. #68 Nina Vaughan (ND) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
Georgia Invitational
Cioroch/Grey (G) d. #23 Green/Varnum (ND) 8-5
Hojnik/Smith (G) d. Connelly/Cunha (ND) 8-5