SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The No. 52 Notre Dame women’s tennis team (12-7, 2-6) was looking for a home boost on Sunday, competing inside The Eck Pavilion for the first time since Feb. 22. However, No. 32 SMU (12-5, 6-4) spoiled the party, rallying from both a doubles point loss and a 3-2 deficit to defeat the Fighting Irish, 4-3.
In doubles, Gabriella Rawles and Rylie Hanford got it going with a 6-3 win over Stasnyy/Llewellyn on court two.
Bianca Molnar and Bojana Pozder reunited on court one doubles and secured a top-10-ranked victory. The 45th-ranked Irish duo defeated No. 10 McGinley/Van Impe, 6-3, to clinch the doubles point. It marked their sixth-ranked win of the year.
Singles play featured counterpunch followed by counterpunch. The Mustangs immediately tied the team score at 1-apiece with a straight-set win on court one. Sophia Holod then responded for the Irish on court five, dispatching Natalie Stasny, 6-1, 6-4. Holod now boasts the most singles dual victories on the team with 11.
SMU’s Ellie Mireles tied it yet again with a straight-set victory on court four before Notre Dame’s Bianca Molnar won a ranked battle to put the home team one point away from clinching. No. 77 Molnar knocked off No. 61 Sophie Llewellyn, 6-2, 6-3. Molnar improved to 9-4 in duals after today’s result.
Once SMU tied it 3-3 with a victory on court six, all eyes turned to Bojana Pozder (ND) vs. Caroline McGinley (SMU) on court three. Pozder won the first set 6-4, while McGinley claimed the second set, 6-3.
In the third, Pozder and McGinley traded breaks to open the set, then both held serve to make it 2-2. Soon after, McGinley broke Pozder again to claim a 4-2 advantage that then propelled her to the 6-2 clincher.
Up next, the Irish host Stanford on March 27 and Cal on March 29.
#52 Notre Dame (12-7, 2-6) – 3 | #32 SMU (12-5, 6-4) – 4
DOUBLES – 2, 1,
1. #45 Molnar/Pozder (ND) vs #10 McGinley/Van Impe (SMU), 6-3
2. Rawles/Hanford (ND) def. Stasny/Llewellyn (SMU), 6-3
3. Matsuno/Van Zyl (ND) vs Comiskey/Mireles (SMU), 6-6
SINGLES – 1, 5, 4, 2, 6, 3
1. #63 Amelie Van Impe (SMU) def. Akari Matsuno (ND), 6-2, 6-2
2. #77 Bianca Molnar (ND) def. #61 Sophie Llewellyn (SMU), 6-2, 6-3
3. Caroline McGinley (SMU) def. Bojana Pozder (ND), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
4. Ellie Mireles (SMU) def. Rylie Hanford (ND), 6-2, 6-4
5. Sophia Holod (ND) def. Natalie Stasny (SMU), 6-1, 6-4
6. Addison Comiskey (SMU) def. Gabriella Rawles (ND), 6-4, 6-3
– ND –