After being swept the previous weekend at the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Notre Dame bounced back with a near-perfect Sunday at Eck Tennis Pavilion, defeating Illinois, 5-2, and Bowling Green, 7-0.
However, the Irish (3-2) started Sunday on the wrong side of the scoresheet against the Fighting Illini (3-2), dropping the doubles point, 2-1. The two teams split the No. 1 and No. 2 flights, but Illini junior Alexis Casati and freshman Daniela Pedraza Novak took the No. 3 match in a tiebreaker, securing the point for the visitors.
That advantage was short-lived for Illinois, however, as the Irish took five of six singles matches, headlined by senior Quinn Gleason, 6-3, 6-0 win over Casati at No. 1 singles.
Irish junior Monica Robinson, sophomore Allison Miller and junior Mary Closs each grabbed straight-set wins at Nos. 2, 3 and 4 singles, respectively, while sophomore Brooke Broda took her match at No. 5 singles, winning the tiebreak against Pedraza Novak 11-9 to take the flight.
Later in the day, Notre Dame had little trouble dispatching Bowling Green (1-4) without dropping a set. Gleason and Robinson, the 32nd-ranked doubles tandem in the country, set the tone with a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles, while Closs and senior Julie Vrabel took a 6-1 victory at No. 3 doubles.
Singles play was just as straightforward for Notre Dame against the Falcons; junior Jane Fennelly, who was the only Irish player not to win her singles match against Illinois, gave the Irish a 2-0 advantage with a 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 6 singles, while Broda won her match at No. 5 without dropping a game, 6-0, 6-0.
Miller snagged a 6-2, 6-0 win on the No. 3 court to seal an Irish sweep of their Sunday opponents before Gleason, Closs and Robinson each sealed up 6-4, 6-1 victories to ensure a shutout win for Notre Dame.
The Irish are set to return to action Feb. 12 as they start conference play at home against Pittsburgh.
