#30 Irish Defeat #26 Georgia Tech, #35 Clemson This Weekend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The 30th-ranked Notre Dame Women’s Tennis team swept the weekend inside the Eck Tennis Pavilion, defeating No. 35 Clemson 4-0 Friday afternoon before taking down No. 26 Georgia Tech 4-2 Sunday. The Irish are now 17-4 overall, 7-3 in the ACC and a remarkable 12-2 on the home courts.

The Irish shutout 35th-ranked Clemson 4-0 Friday afternoon inside the Eck Tennis Pavilion.

The Irish got two huge ranked doubles wins to secure the early point. At No. 1 doubles, Akari Matsuno/Carrie Beckman took down #32 Parravicini/Smejkalova 6-4 to clinch the point after Nibi Ghosh/Rylie Hanford defeated #47 Yecora/Cisovska 6-2. The Irish led 1-0 headed into singles.

Notre Dame would cruise in singles play. Matsuno, ranked #79, coasted to a 6-3, 6-0 win at the top singles slot. Bojana Pozder won in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 at No. 4 singles before Rylie Hanford clinched the match victory 6-4, 6-4 at No. 5 singles.

#30 Notre Dame 4, #35 Clemson 0

Singles:

1. #79 Akari Matsuno (ND) def. Amelie Smejkalova (CU) 6-3, 6-0
2. Bianca Molnar (ND) vs. Sophia Hatton (CU) 6-4, 3-6, unfinished
3. Nibi Ghosh (ND) vs. Annabelle Davis (CU) 6-3, 3-2, unfinished
4. Bojana Pozder (ND) def. Artemis Aslanisvili (CU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Rylie Hanford (ND) def. Romana Cisovska (CU) 6-4, 6-4
6. Maria Olivia Castedo (ND) vs. Candela Yecora (CU) 3-6, 4-3, unfinished

Doubles:

1. Akari Matsuno/Carrie Beckman (ND) def. #32 Gaia Parravicini/Amelie Smejkalova (CU) 6-4
2. Nibi Ghosh/Rylie Hanford (ND) def. #47 Candela Yecora/Romana Cisovska (CU) 6-2
3. Annabelle Davis/Sophia Hatton (CU) def. Bianca Molnar/Bojana Pozder (ND) 6-4

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,4,5)

In the match against Georgia Tech today, Notre Dame jumped out to the doubles point win for the second time on the weekend. Hanford/Ghosh led off the match with a huge ranked win over #57 Cruz/Roach 6-4. The Yellow Jackets would win court three, but Beckman/Matsuno were able to clinch the point at the top singles spot, winning 7-5 to give the Irish a 1-0 lead heading into singles.

Georgia Tech grabbed the first two singles matches at No. 1 and No. 6 singles. Hanford countered with a three set win at No. 5 singles, 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 to tie the match at two.

Ghosh put the Irish back on top with a 6-5, 7-6 (6) crucial win at No. 3 singles. That left it all up to either Pozder or Molnar.

On both courts, Notre Dame was down match point. But the resiliency paid off, as Pozder was able to claw back and win on No. 4 singles 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (6) to clinch the 17th victory of the season for the Irish. Notre Dame is just one of four teams in the conference to surpass 17 wins on the season. For head coach Alison Silverio, it was a win over her alma mater and her 99th at the helm of Notre Dame women’s tennis.

The Irish will look to continue the home success this upcoming weekend, facing Boston College at 4 p.m. on Friday and Syracuse at 11 a.m. The match against will be Senior Day, and Notre Dame will honor Carrie Beckman, Kate Bellia and Maria Olivia Castedo.

#30 Notre Dame 4, #26 Georgia Tech 2

Singles:

1. #36 Scarlett Nicholson (GT) def. #79 Akari Matsuno (ND) 6-2, 6-2
2. Bianca Molnar (ND) vs. #104 Alejandra Cruz (GT) 6-2, 2-6, 6-6, unfinished
3. Nibi Ghosh (ND) def. Kate Sharabura (GT) 7-5, 7-6 (8-6)
4. Bojana Pozder (ND) def. Given Roach (GT) 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (8-6)
5. Rylie Hanford (ND) def. Taly Licht (GT) 6-3, 4-6, 6-0
6. Kylie Bilchev (GT) def. Maria Olivia Castedo (ND) 6-4, 6-0

Doubles:

1. Carrie Beckman/Akari Matsuno (ND) def. Scarlett Nicholson/Kylie Bilchev (GT) 7-5
2. Rylie Hanford/Nibi Ghosh (ND) def. #57 Alejandra Cruz/Given Roach (GT) 6-4
3. Kate Sharabura/Meera Jesudason (GT) def. Bianca Molnar/Bojana Pozder (ND) 7-6 (8-6)

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,6,5,3,4)