Notre Dame bested by Georgia Tech in ACC quarterfinals

Notre Dame participated in the ACC tournament last week at the Cary Tennis Center in Cary, North Carolina. The Irish (14-13, 5-9) beat Pittsburgh, 4-0, in the first round Wednesday and then got past Clemson, 4-1, in the second round Thursday before falling to Georgia Tech, 4-0, in the quarterfinals Friday.

In Wednesday’s singles competition against Pittsburgh (7-14, 1-13), sophomore Brooke Broda won her match in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 on court No. 5. On court No. 1, senior Quinn Gleason emerged victorious from her match by a 6-2, 6-1 score. Sophomore Allison Miller also won her match in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 on court No. 3.

The Irish dominated the doubles competition against the Panthers. The doubles team of senior Julie Vrabel and junior Mary Closs emerged victorious 6-1 on court No. 2 and on court No. 3, Broda/Miller also won 6-1 to clinch the doubles point for the Irish. The next day in singles against Clemson (10-10, 8-6), Broda won her first set 7-5 before falling in the second set 6-3. In the third and deciding set, Broda shut down her opponent 6-0 on court No. 5 to win the match. Closs was also involved in a close match on court No. 4. She won the first set 6-4 before dropping the second set 6-4. Closs was the victor in the deciding third set 6-2. On court No. 1, Gleason won the first set 6-2 before dropping a 6-2 decision in the second. Gleason responded by winning the third set 6-1 to clinch the match for Notre Dame. In the doubles competition, Closs/Vrabel won 6-4 on court No. 2, followed by a 6-3 victory by Broda/Miller on court No. 3. Gleason and junior Monica Robinson dropped a 6-1 decision on court No. 1. “The win over Clemson was a big one for us to get an invite to the NCAA tournament,” Irish head coach Jay Louderback said. “We lost to Clemson a couple weeks ago so we knew it would be a tough match, but our team played maybe our best match of the year with a lot on the line.” In the singles competition against Georgia Tech (17-8, 11-3), Closs lost a close first set 7-6(1) before dropping the second set 6-1 on court No. 4 while Fennelly lost in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 on court No. 6. Miller also fell in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 on court No. 3. Broda lost her first set 6-2 before responding with a 6-2 victory in the second set. Broda was winning the deciding third set 2-1 before the match was discontinued on court No. 5. On court No. 1, Gleason emerged as the victor in her first set 6-1 and was tied 6-6 in the second set when her match left unfinished. On court No. 2, Robinson lost a close first set 7-6(4) and was tied in the second set 2-2 before that match was discontinued as well. In the doubles competition, the teams of Gleason/Robinson and Vrabel/Closs both lost 6-4 decisions on courts No. 1 and 2, respectively. Broda/Miller were winning 5-4 in their match on court No. 3 when the match was discontinued. Louderback said he was impressed at how well his doubles team improved over the course of the season and helped lead his team to this point. “I feel our doubles teams have improved as the season has progressed which is key in the post season,” Louderback said. Up next for the Irish would be a trip to the NCAA championships, which start with regionals on May 13 and will conclude in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on May 30. Notre Dame will learn its tournament fate when the field is announced on May 3.