March 8, 2003
The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team moved its record to 7-5 on the season with a 4-3 victory over #49 BYU (4-7) on Saturday evening. The Irish, ranked 15th in the latest ITA/Omni Hotel rankings, won four of the six singles matches to get the team victory.
BYU was able to put pressure on the visiting Irish early with an 8-4 win in number one doubles and an 8-5 win in number three doubles. The match up between number two doubles was not finished.
Junior Caylan Leslie rebounded from the loss on the #3 doubles team with her eighth-straight singles victory, easily handling BYU’s Dominique Reynolds 6-1, 6-1 in the #1 doubles match. Classmate Alicia Salas outlasted Leeza Klempner in #2 singles, winning 6-3, 4-6 and 6-2.
BYU was able to get victories in #3 and #4 singles. Katie Cunha lost to Olga Boulytcheva 3-6, 2-6 and Kristina Stastny went down 4-6, 6-1, 4-6 to the Cougar’s Rebecca Pike.
In the #5 singles match, Sarah Jane Connelly rallied back after dropping the first game 0-6 to get a victory 6-2, 6-4. Lauren Connelly easily handled BYU’s Nicole Schneider in #6 6-1, 6-0.
The Irish have now responded from their three-match losing streak to win three in a row entering the March 14 match at Arizona State. Notre Dame will take advantage of Spring Break to get five days in of outdoor practice before heading to Tempe, Ariz., to face the Sun Devils.
No. 15 Notre Dame vs. No. 49 BYU
Singles
1. ND – Caylan Leslie def. BYU – Dominique Reynolds – 6-1, 6-1
2. ND – Alicia Salas def. BYU – Leeza Klempner – 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
3. BYU – Olga Boulytcheva def. ND – Katie Cunha – 6-3, 6-2
4. BYU – Rebecca Pike def. ND – Kristina Stastny – 6-4, 1-6, 6-4
5. ND – Sara Jane Connelly def. BYU – Hadley MacFarlane – 0-6, 6-2, 6-4
6. ND – Lauren Connelly def. BYU – Nicole Scheider – 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
1. BYU – Reynolds, Klemper def. ND – Cunha, Stastny – 8-4
2. BYU – MacFarlane, Schneider vs. ND – L. Connelly, Salas – DNF
3. BYU – Pike, Boulytcheva def. ND – Leslie, Smith – 8-5
FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 4, BYU 3