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Notre Dame women's tennis: ND women open with win

Staff reports

ND Insider

Britney Sanders, Jennifer Kellner and Quinn Gleason collected wins at the top three singles flights to propel Notre Dame to a 4-1 win over North Carolina State in first-round action of the NCAA Championship in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Friday.

Sanders picked up a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win over Joelle Kissell at the top spot and Gleason had to go three sets against Chloe Smith, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

The No. 24 Irish (18-8) opened the match by securing the doubles point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles.

Notre Dame will square off against either No. 10 Michigan or IPFW in second-round action Saturday at 1.

SINGLES: 1. Britney Sanders (ND) beat Joelle Kissell, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4; 2. Jennifer Kellner (ND) beat Tatiana Illova, 7-6, 6-3; 3. Quinn Gleason (ND) beat Chloe Smith, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1; 4. Rachael James-Barker (NCSU) beat Chrissie McGaffigan, 6-2, 6-1; 5. Katherine White (ND) vs. Elisha Hande, 5-7, 6-1, 4-3 DNF; 6. Julie Vrabel (ND) vs. Nicole Martinez, 4-6, 7-5, 3-1 DNF.

DOUBLES: 1. Kellner-McGaffigan (ND) beat Kissell-Illova, 8-6; 2. Julie Sabacinski-Sanders (ND) beat Hande-Martinez, 8-4; 3. Smith-Sophie Nelson (NCSU) vs. Gleason-White, 8-7 DNF.