After losing twice this season to Northwestern’s Cristelle Grier, Notre Dame’s Alicia Salas must be tired of facing the nation’s No. 9 player.

Despite not playing a match in nearly three weeks, Grier beat Salas 7-5, 6-0 on Monday in the first round of the NCAA women’s singles championships in Gainesville, Fla. Grier beat Salas 6-1, 6-2 on January 31.

NU coach Claire Pollard said Grier, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, suffered from “tightness” in the first set but was able to dominate Salas in the second to move to the next round.

Pollard attributed the NU freshman’s early difficulty to her time off and the pressure she put on herself in the first match of the tournament.

“In the second set (Grier) relaxed and played much better,” Pollard said. “She wasn’t trying to be superwoman.”

Grier said her ability to win key set points in the first set provided her with the confidence and momentum to defeat Salas while battling temperatures that soared into the 80s.

In the round of 32, which begins today, Grier will face Florida’s Lindsay Dawaf, ranked No. 28 in the nation.

Junior Jessica Rush, who came to Gainesville as an alternate, lost 6-1, 6-3 to Vilmarie Castellvi, the nation’s top-ranked player and the tournament’s No. 1 seed. Rush was awarded a tournament bid Monday when other players dropped out.

Rush said she was pleased with her effort despite the loss.

“I played well and stuck to my game plan,” Rush said. “I just played too many loose points.”

Pollard said she was proud of Rush’s play and that it was important the Cats’ No. 2 player learned from her defeat.

“We are making sure we leave the court having gotten better,” Pollard said. “(Rush) wasn’t going to roll over just because (Castellvi) was the No. 1 player.”

Rush’s loss means the end of the singles competition for her, but she and Grier will pair up in the doubles competition beginning today. The pair is ranked No. 6 and will face the No. 18 duo of Southern California’s Jewell Peterson and Tiffany Brymer. The NU players defeated Peterson and Brymer 8-5 on Feb. 6.

Pollard said being aggresive and forcing the Southern California duo to work hard would be the keys to an NU victory in the 32-team doubles competition.

Rush, however, has her own incentive to win in doubles. If she and Grier are defeated, Rush will travel back to NU — leaving the Sunshine State behind.

“I want to stay in Florida as long as I can,” Rush said.