Notre Dame tennis: Tide knocks out ND

Notre Dame's season came to an end Thursday as the Irish fell, 4-2, to No. 2 Alabama in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Championship. Bad weather in Athens, Ga., dictated the match move inside and Alabama quickly took the doubles point at Nos. 2 and 3, where freshman Mary Closs and junior Molly O'Koniewski fell, 8-3, and seniors Jennifer Kellner and Julie Sabacinski dropped their match, 8-4. All three doubles teams for the Tide are nationally ranked.

Alabama claimed two more points in singles as freshman Monica Robinson fell, 6-4, 6-3 to Maya Jansen at No. 4, and sophomore Quinn Gleason lost to Danielle Spielmann, 7-6 (6), 6-2 at No. 2.

Senior Britney Sanders notched the first point for the Irish, rallying for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Mary Anne Daines at No. 1 singles. Kellner dropped her first set to Eric Routliffe but rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 win to pull ND within 3-2.

Alabama clinched the match when Luicelena Perez took a 6-1, 6-4 win over Vrabel.

Notre Dame ends its season 18-10, making it to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010.

Regionals postponed

Because of the forecast for rain and temperatures in the 40s, the Michigan Division 3 and 4 regional tennis tournaments were postponed. The tourneys, Division 3 at Lakeshore and Division 4 at Leeper Park, originally scheduled for Thursday are now slated for Monday.