Texas claims sixth-straight victory over Notre Dame
By RACHEL BIBER
Sports Writer
The Texas Longhorns seem to have the Irish game plan all figured out.
For the fifth straight time and for the sixth time in the last seven years, the 10th-ranked Longhorns mustered a late-match rally in order to slip past the 30th-ranked Irish men's tennis team by the score of 4-3.
The Irish, who fall to 9-8 with the loss, split six singles matches with the Longhorns, but lost the doubles point to surrender the match.
With the defeat over Notre Dame, Texas secured their ninth straight dual-match victory this season and eighth straight win over Notre Dame. This win brings their overall record to 16-2 on the year.
"It was a tough one to take," Irish head coach Bob Bayliss said, "We played really well."
Saturday's match was shifted from Austin to San Antonio due to inclement weather. A decision was also made to play singles matches first in the event that doubles would not be needed.
All-American and 13th-ranked Ryan Sachire breezed past the Longhorn's 68th-ranked Brandon Hawk 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1 singles to give the Irish a quick 1-0 lead. Casey Smith then locked up another win for Notre Dame with an impressive 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) defeat over Texas' 25th-ranked Michael Blue.
"It was a big win for Casey," Bayliss said. "It's a big jump back into the thick of things for him, because he has had some tough matches to play recently. He has had to play some good players."
The Longhorns did not let up and evened out the score with wins at Nos. 2 and 4 singles after the completion of the first four singles matches. Matt Daly was topped by Texas' 59th-ranked Nick Crowell 6-2, 6-4 at No. 2 singles, while Javier Taborga was defeated by the Longhorn's Jean Simon 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 singles.
Andrew Laflin provided the Irish a narrow 3-2 edge with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Texas' Ron Kloppert at No. 6 singles. The Longhorn's Craig Edmondson rallied for a 6-7 (7-5), 6-2, 6-1 win over Aaron Talarico at No. 5 singles to force the doubles action to be the deciding factor in the match.
While Edmondson was wrapping up his comeback win over Talarico, Sachire and Trent Miller came away with a hard fought 9-8 (7-5) victory over the Longhorn's Hawk and Jorge Haro at No. 2 doubles to put Notre Dame within one doubles victory of its first win over Texas since 1993.
The Irish were stopped short, however, when the Longhorns rallied once again with 8-6 wins at Nos. 1 and 3 doubles to secure the dual-match victory. Texas' third-ranked duo of Blue and Crowell overcame Taborga and Talarico at No. 1 doubles. The Irish's Smith and James Malhame were defeated by Kloppert and Stephen Patak at No. 3 doubles.
Both defeats in doubles play came down to the wire.
"We had eight break points against Texas [in the No. 1 doubles match] and they only had one against us, but they converted and we didn't, and it was that close," Bayliss said. "In the third doubles we actually were up an early break, and then they got it back to even. We were in pretty good shape, and then [Texas] held in a close game and clinched the match."
After the tough loss, the Irish are glad to have some time off, and do not return to action until April 13 against Michigan.
"We don't play for 10 days, and I think the goal now is to really work on some skills we need to improve and make some improvements," Bayliss said.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, April 4, 2000
