The Illinois State womens tennis team battled No. 13 Notre Dame, but could not outlast the Irish, 7-0, Sunday at the Eck Pavilion.
We fought hard, and we were right there, head coach Chris Hoover said. We needed a couple of points and a few more games fall our way and we could have had a 4-3 match against the No. 13 team in the country.
The No. 1 doubles tandem of Liina Suurvarik and Alesia Mikalayeva edged Kim Guy and Katie Cunha, 9-7. The No. 3 team of Brigette Zarazee and Zana Friganovic fell behind early and battled back, but could not overcome Caylan Leslie and Alicia Salas, 8-6.
In singles play, three Redbirds extended their matches into the third set, but all came up empty-handed. Mikalayeva took her match at No. 1 to three sets with Nina Vaughan, 6-8, 6-3, 6-3, and Suurvarik took Guy three sets, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. At No. 6, sophomore Alana Hoffman fell in three to Emily Neighbors, 6-2, 0-6, 6-4.
Its our second match of the season and Im pleased with the progress Ive seen from the first match to the second match, Hoover said. It puts us I pretty good shape for tomorrow. Everyones a little hungry for a win and San Francisco should make a pretty good appetizer before the main course against the No. 1 team Stanford on Tuesday.
Illinois State 0 Notre Dame 7
February 4, 2001 Eck Pavilion
Singles
1. Nina Vaughan (ND) def. Alesia Mikalayeva (ISU) 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, 6-3
2. Kim Guy (ND) def. Liina Suurvarik (ISU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
3. Lindsay Green (ND) def. Zana Friganovic (ISU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Katie Cunha (ND) def. Elizabeth Bingier (ISU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Alicia Salas (ND) def. Brigette Zarazee (ISU) 6-1, 6-3
6. Emily Neighbors (ND) def. Alana Hoffman (ISU) 6-2, 0-6, 6-4
Doubles
1. Mikalayeva/Suurvarik (ISU) def. Cunha/GUY (ND) 9-7
2. Guy/Green (ND) def. Bingier/Hoffman (ISU) 8-2
3. Caylan Leslie/Salas (ND) def. Friganovic/Zarazee (ISU) 8-6
