Northwestern
Notre Dame
NU Outdoes Notre Dame, 4-3
4/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 15, 2004
NOTRE DAME, Ind.--No. 24 Notre Dame put up a fight, but No. 11 Northwestern still came out on top.
The Wildcats, winners of their past three meetings with the Fighting Irish, including a 7-0 shutout last year, outlasted UND 4-3 in a five-hour match to close out their 2004 nonconference schedule.
"It was a great college match," said head coach Claire Pollard. "Obviously with the win, it was that much more sweet."
The contest did not began that sweet for NU (16-4), which was swept in doubles to quickly fall behind, 1-0. Then for the next three matches, it became a game of cat and mouse.
First, Alexis Prousis (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) cruised past Catrina Thompson 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3 to put Northwestern on the board. Then Notre Dame (10-9) regained the lead moments later with a win at No. 6.
Third-ranked Cristelle Grier (Surrey, England/Putney) tied the score at 2 apiece by bumping No. 11 Alicia Salas 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1. The 'Cats finally took the lead thanks to No. 55 Jessica Rush's 7-5, 6-4 victory Christian Thompson at No. 2.
At that point, the match--already past the three-and-a-half hour mark--was moved indoors due to darkness.
Inside, Jamie Peisel (Savannah, Ga./Savannah Country Day) survived a long battle against Lauren Connelly to pull off a 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-6 (4) decision and give her team the win.
"It was one of those matches that showed what we are made of," said Pollard. "We did not back down; everyone was playing their hardest.
"We needed that kind of match."
The Wildcats will play out their home schedule this weekend, taking on Penn State on Saturday and Ohio State on Sunday. Both matches are set for an 11 a.m. start at Vandy Christie Tennis Center.
No. 11 Northwestern 4, No. 24 Notre Dame 3
Singles
No. 1 -- #3 Cristelle Grier (NU) def. #11 Alicia Salas (ND), 6-3, 6-2
No. 2 -- #55 Jessica Rush (NU) def. Christian Thompson (ND), 7-5, 6-4
No. 3 -- Alexis Prousis (NU) def. Catrina Thompson (ND), 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 -- Jamie Peisel (NU) def. Lauren Connelly (ND), 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 7-6 (7-4)
No. 5 -- Kristina Stastny (ND) def. Andrea Yung (NU), 6-7, 7-5, 7-5
No. 6 -- Sarah Jane Connelly (ND) def. Connie Chiang (NU), 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
No. 1 -- #57 Thompson/Thompson (ND) def. #2 Grier/Rush (NU) 9-8 (7-5)
No. 2 -- L. Connelly/Salas (ND) def. Peisel/Prousis (NU) 8-5
No. 3 -- S.J. Connelly/Emily Neighbours (ND) def. Ruth Barnes/Yung (NU) 9-7
