Sept. 16, 2007
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore #110 Colleen Rielley (Overland Park, KS), freshman Kristen Rafael (Grand Prairie, TX) and sophomore Kali Krisik (Arkansas City, KS) each advanced to the finals of their singles brackets at the St. Mary’s Classic in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday. The doubles tandem of Ciobanu and Rafael also captured the Flight Two championship.
Rielley reached the final of the Flight Two singles draw in dominating fashion. She picked up back-to-back straight set victories over Neils Barringer of NC State and Sasha Kulikova of Wake Forest. Rielley upended Barringer, 6-1, 6-2, before handling Kulikova 6-0, 6-2. Rielley is 2-0 on the season and 32-11 for her career.
Rafael was equally impressive in her first two career singles matches. The rookie moved into the Flight Four singles final with a pair of straight set wins. Rafael defeated Joanna Craven of Purdue, 6-4, 6-0, and Ghizela Schutte of Tennessee, 6-2, 6-4.
Krisik was the final Notre Dame player to reach a flight final. Krisik posted straight set victories over Katherina Tomalak (6-2, 6-1) of Louisville and Jena Loeb (6-1, 6-3) of Wake Forest in Flight Seven. Krisik is 2-0 on the season and 18-5 for her career.
Ciobanu and Rafael were the only Irish doubles team to capture a flight title. They breezed past the competition in Flight Two. Ciobanu and Rafael defeated Berkeley Brock and Catherine Grotz of NC State in the semifinals, 8-1, before disposing of Marlene Chemin and Ann-Kristin Silijestrom of Middle Tennessee State, 8-2. The duo now stands 3-0 on the year.
Senior #91 Brook Buck (Yukon, OK) opened her singles season in grand fashion with a dominating 6-3, 6-2 triumph over #51 Yvette Hyndman of Georgia. Buck, however, did not reach the Flight One final after losing to #39 Sanaz Marand of North Carolina, 6-5, 6-3. Buck is 1-1 on the season and 65-28 for her career.
Freshman Denise Ellison (Bakersfield, CA) registered her first career victory for the Irish. She beat Vita Moskoliova of East Tennessee State, 6-5, 6-0, in Flight Eight singles action.
Notre Dame returns to action Sunday morning to complete singles play.
Singles
#91 Brook Buck (Notre Dame) def. #51 Yvette Hyndman (Georgia) 6-3, 6-2
#39 Sanaz Marand (North Carolina) def. #91 Brook Buck (Notre Dame) 7-5, 6-3
#110 Colleen Rielley (Notre Dame) def. Neils Barringer (NC State) 6-1, 6-2
#110 Colleen Rielley (Notre Dame) def. #97 Sasha Kulikova (Wake Forest) 6-0, 6-2
Berkeley Brock (NC State) def. #45 Cosmina Ciobanu (Notre Dame)
#45 Cosmina Ciobanu (Notre Dame) def. Elvira Yusupova (Middle Tennessee State) 6-0, 6-3
Kristen Rafael (Notre Dame) def. Joanna Craven (Purdue) 6-4, 6-0
Kristen Rafael (Notre Dame) def. Ghizela Schutte (Tennessee) 6-2, 6-4
Kali Krisik (Notre Dame) def. Katherina Tomalak (Louisville) 6-2, 6-1
Kali Krisik (Notre Dame) def. Jenna Loeb (Wake Forest) 6-1, 6-3
Linzee Mabry (North Carolina) def. Denise Ellison (Notre Dame) 6-2, 6-0
Denise Ellison (Notre Dame) def. Vita Moskoliova (East Tennessee State) 6-5, 6-0
Doubles
Marand/Grabinski (North Carolina) def. Buck/Krisik (Notre Dame) 9-7
Nuck/Krisik (Notre Dame) def. Hirsch/Malvehy (Wake Forest) 8-6
Ciobanu/Rafael (Notre Dame) def. Brock/Grotz (NC State) 8-1
Ciobanu/Rafael (Notre Dame) def. Chemin/Silijestrom (Middle Tennessee State) 8-2
Parkison/Yusopova (Middle Tennessee State) def. Louderback/Rielley (Notre Dame) 9-7
Louderback/Rielley (Notre Dame) def. Volobueva/Trotter (East Tennessee State) 8-6
— ND —