Squad splits to travel to three tourneys

Junior Quentin Monaghan and the Irish will split up and travel this weekend to three different fall tournaments after Monaghan led the Irish in the Fighting Illini Invitational with his win over No. 6 Jared Hiltzik of Illinois.

After Monaghan’s big win last weekend, he said he was relieved to see that all of his hard work is paying off in big ways early in the season.

“My win last weekend was really important for me,” Monaghan said. “I have been working very hard with my game and I have continued to stick to the process of getting better. It is really important to back up your foundation with results, because it helps show the improvement you're making. I have been getting stronger and really working on the quality of ball I am hitting. I think my win was a testament to the improved quality of ball I am consistently producing, and my willingness to finish points aggressively.”

This weekend, Monaghan will travel with sophomore Josh Hagar, juniors Kenneth Sabancski and Alex Lawson and senior Billy Pecor to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to compete in the elite Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American Championships. Monaghan, ranked No. 88 in the nation in singles play, advanced to the quarterfinals of the qualifying round last year.

Lawson and Pecor are ranked No. 27 in doubles play and will compete in the main draw at the event in the doubles competition after beginning the weekend at Kalamazoo, Michigan, to challenge other doubles competitors in the Vredevelt Invitational. Last weekend, the duo also advanced to the semifinals of the Farnsworth Ivy Plus Invitational in Princeton, New Jersey. Sophomore Eddy Covalschi and seniors Michael Fredricka and Dougie Barnard will also travel to the Vredevelt invitational to compete in singles matches.

The final group, which consists of freshmen Drew Dawson and Brendon Kempin and juniors Eric Schnurrenberger and Nicolas Montoya, will head to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to compete in the Crimson Tide Four In the Fall. This group of Notre Dame players will go head-to-head against schools including Florida State, Princeton, Rice, Tulane, Samford, Dartmouth, South Alabama, UAB and Illinois.

Monaghan said the team has to take advantage of these tournaments as opportunities to teach the younger, more inexperienced players how to elevate their game in a competitive environment outside of practice.

“As an upperclassman, you really have to know that you’re responsible for the development of the younger players,” Monaghan said. “You don't always realize it, but the freshman look to you for guidance. It's really important that you do everything right to set a good example for the younger guys, because they want to learn. We will be a young team this year and we need everyone to contribute. There is no doubt our freshman have the talent level, so it is our job to get them ready from a competitive standpoint.”

All three Notre Dame squads will begin play at each of their respective tournaments Friday.