March 11, 1998
Notre Dame Women's Tennis Falls To #1 Florida 7-2
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Notre Dame's 18th-ranked women's tennis team lost four of six singles match and was swept in doubles as top-ranked Florida handed the Irish a 7-2 loss in the Excalibur Challenge at the Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas, Nev. The loss drops Notre Dame to 11-4 on the season.
Freshman Michelle Dasso and junior Marissa Velasco won three-set matches at Nos. 2 and 3 singles for Notre Dame's only wins. Dasso rallied for a 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 win over MC White. Velasco held off Whitney Laiho 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. Florida won the other four singles matches in straight sets before sweeping the doubles.
Notre Dame continues its spring break with a 1:00 p.m. Saturday match against fourth-ranked Texas in Austin, Texas.
#1 FLORIDA 7, #18 NOTRE DAME 2
Singles
No. 1: Dawn Buth (UF) def.
Jennifer Hall (ND) 6-3, 6-3
No. 2: Michelle Dasso (ND) def.
MC White (UF) 2-6, 7-6, 6-3
No. 3: Marissa Velasco (ND) def.
Whitney Laiho (UF) 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
No. 4: Stephanie Nickitas (UF) def.
Tiffany Gates (ND) 6-3, 6-3
No. 5: Traci Green (UF) def.
Kelly Zalinski (ND) 6-3, 6-3
No. 6: Bonnie Bleecker (UF) def.
Kelley Olson (ND) 6-2, 6-3
Doubles
No: 1: Buth/Nickitas (UF) def.
Gates/Hall 8-5
No. 2: Stephanie Hazlett/Laiho (UF) def.
Dasso/Velasco (ND) 8-5
No. 3: White/Bleecker (UF) def.
Olson/Zalinski (ND) 8-4
