The fall season came to an end for Notre Dame this past weekend with a pair of invitational competitions.
The Irish split the squad this past weekend, competing in the Dick Vitale Intercollegiate Clay Court Classic in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, and also hosting the Notre Dame Invitational at the Courtney Tennis Center, where they faced off against Denver, Kansas and Illinois.
On Friday at the Dick Vitale Classic, senior Monica Robinson dropped her first set, 6-3, before winning her final two sets — 6-4, 6-2 — to advance to the open singles round of 16, where she eventually fell. After falling in the open singles round of 32, senior Mary Closs won her round of 16 consolation match — 7-5, 6-2 — before losing again the consolation quarterfinals. In the doubles consolation round of 16, the doubles pair of Closs and Robinson lost a close match, 8-7(5).
On Friday at the Notre Dame Invitational, the Irish were powered by singles wins from freshman Zoe Spence, sophomore Rachel Chong and juniors Allison Miller and Brooke Broda. The doubles pair of Spence and Broda were also victorious in the doubles competition against Denver.
On Saturday, Miller and freshman Bess Waldram grabbed singles wins while Broda and Miller won their doubles match against Kansas. In the doubles competition against Illinois, the pair of senior Jane Fennelly and Waldram emerged victorious in their match.
On Sunday, the Irish were able to take five of the seven singles matches they played against Illinois — the first time in the three matches the Irish won the singles competition — as Chong, Waldrum, Spence, Miller and Broda were able to claim victories in their matches.
The Irish will not play in another match until Jan. 22 when they host Western Michigan and Wright State to open their spring season at the Eck Tennis Pavilion.
