Irish Take Two of Three Matches Over the Weekend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team hosted three matches inside Eck Tennis Pavilion last weekend. The Irish split a pair of matches against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, and defeated Chicago State to close the weekend. It was the first ACC matches of the season as the 17^th-ranked Fighting Irish are now 10-3 on the season.

How It Happened – #30 Georgia Tech

The weekend started Friday night as the Irish opened ACC play with Georgia Tech. The Irish fell, 5-2 to the 30^th ranked Yellowjackets. Georgia Tech took the doubles point, winning two of the three doubles points in tiebreakers, taking the second flight 7-6 (3), and the third flight 7-6 (4).

The singles action saw Notre Dame take on three ranked individuals. Fifth and sixth positions were the only two to end in straight sets as Bojana Pozder earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at five, and Akari Matsuno coming up short at 7-6 (5), 6-4 at six.

Page Freeman battled at the top flight, falling in three sets, two of which went to tiebreakers. Julia Andrewach and Carrie Beckman also dropped their matches in three sets. Beckman batted to a 7-6 (5) final set at the fourth flight. Yashna Yellayi earned. Aw in over #108 Mahak Jain, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to help the Irish earn their second point.

#30 Georgia Tech 5, #17 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2

Singles competition

1. #14 Carol Lee (GT) def. #81 Page Freeman (ND-W) 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
2. #40 Kylie Bilchev (GT) def. Julia Andreach (ND-W) 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
3. Yashna Yellayi (ND-W) def. #108 Mahak Jain (GT) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
4. Alejandra Cruz (GT) def. Carrie Beckman (ND-W) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
5. Bojana Pozder (ND-W) def. Rosie Garcia Gross (GT) 6-3, 6-2
6. Ruth Marsh (GT) def. Akari Matsuno (ND-W) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4

Doubles competition

1. Page Freeman/Bojana Pozder (ND-W) def. Kylie Bilchev/Alejandra Cruz (GT) 6-3
2. Kate Sharabura/Monika Dedaj (GT) def. Julia Andreach/Carrie Beckman (ND-W) 7-6 (7-3)
3. Mahak Jain/Rosie Garcia Gross (GT) def. Yashna Yellayi/Rylie Hanford (ND-W) 7-6 (7-4)

How It Happened – #29 Clemson

The Irish got back on the right side, earning a 4-1 win over the visiting Clemson Tigers Sunday afternoon. The Irish took all three doubles flights, winning 6-2, 6-4 and 6-4 at flights one, two and three, respectively.

The teams exchanged points at flights two and three as Andreach earned a 6-3, 6-4 win at two as the Irish dropped the third flight by a reverse score. After falling 6-3 in the first set, Freeman didn’t allow a point the rest of the match to win in three and give the Irish the 3-1 advantage. Beckman put the match away with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 4.

#17 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 4, #29 Clemson Women’s Tennis 1

Singles competition

1. #81 Page Freeman (ND-W) def. Eleni Louka (CUW) 3-6, 6-0, 6-0
2. Julia Andreach (ND-W) def. Cristina Mayorova (CUW) 6-3, 6-4
3. Samantha Buyckx (CUW) def. Yashna Yellayi (ND-W) 6-4, 6-3
4. Carrie Beckman (ND-W) def. Daniella Medvedeva (CUW) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. Bojana Pozder (ND-W) vs. Jenna Thompson (CUW) 6-1, 6-7, unfinished
6. Akari Matsuno (ND-W) vs. Sophia Hatton (CUW) 7-5, 2-6, 1-4, unfinished

Doubles competition

1. Page Freeman/Bojana Pozder (ND-W) def. Samantha Buyckx/Jenna Thompson (CUW) 6-2
2. Julia Andreach/Carrie Beckman (ND-W) def. Eleni Louka/Cristina Mayorova (CUW) 6-4
3. Yashna Yellayi/Rylie Hanford (ND-W) def. Sophia Hatton/Daniella Medvedeva (CUW) 6-4

How It Happened – Chicago State

In the final match of the weekend, the Irish earned a 4-2 win over the visiting Chicago State Cougars. Doubles started with Notre Dame earning the point. Alex Kuo and Kate Bellia earned a 6-1 victory at No. 3, with Rylie Hanford and Akari Matsuno teaming up at No. 1 doubles for the first time this year, earning a 6-2 victory to clinch the first point.

The singles competition saw Nibi Ghosh, Meghan Coleman and Kuo earn straight-set wins to clinch the victory. The Irish dropped the fifth and sixth flights as Chicago State got on the board. Hanford was battling into the third set before the match went unfinished.

#17 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 4, Chicago State 2

Singles competition

1. Nibi Ghosh (ND-W) def. Cali Fuller (CSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Rylie Hanford (ND-W) vs. Katarina Dukic (CSU) 6-3, 3-6, 1-2, unfinished
3. Meghan Coleman (ND-W) def. Sofiya Sedovich (CSU) 7-5, 6-4
4. Alex Kuo (ND-W) def. Manuella Eloundou-Ng (CSU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Ethel Li (CSU) def. Kate Bellia (ND-W) 6-4, 6-2
6. Amina Taibi (CSU) def. Sydney Sforzo (ND-W) 7-6, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. Rylie Hanford/Akari Matsuno (ND-W) def. Cali Fuller/Manuella Eloundou-Ng (CSU) 6-2
2. Meghan Coleman/Nibi Ghosh (ND-W) vs. Kristina Pukhaeva/Ethel Li (CSU) 5-3, unfinished
3. Alex Kuo/Kate Bellia (ND-W) def. Katarina Dukic/Sofiya Sedovich (CSU) 6-1

Up Next

The Irish head to the North Carolina Triangle area for a pair of ACC matches this weekend. Notre Dame will start the week with a dual match at Duke Friday night at 5 p.m., before closing the weekend in Chapel Hill for a date with the Tar Heels at noon, Sunday the 5^th.