COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the third consecutive season, the 23rd ranked Notre Dame women’s tennis team is moving on to the second round of the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships following a 4-0 shutout win over the UIC Flames Friday morning at the Columbus Regional. The Irish are now 21-5 and will await the winner of Ohio State – Buffalo tomorrow at 4 p.m. from Auer Tennis Complex.
Notre Dame got off to a fast start, securing the double point early. 67th ranked Carrie Beckman/Akari Matsuno kept the Flames scoreless at No. 1 doubles, cruising to a 6-0 victory. Bojana Pozder/Bianca Molnar clinched the early advantage with a 6-1 win at No. 3 singles, putting the Irish up 1-0 heading into singles play.
In singles, Beckman, Nibi Ghosh, Rylie Hanford and Molnar all took their first sets on their respective courts. Hanford was the first to secure the victory, winning at No. 4 singles 6-3, 6-1 for the second Irish point. It was Hanford’s 18th singles win of the spring, a team-best.
Molnar followed shortly after, winning 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2 singles before Ghosh clinched the postseason victory for Notre Dame with a 6-3, 6-0 victory at No. 3 singles. Ghosh is now 12-1 in singles in 2025 and a perfect 4-0 from the third spot in the lineup.
The Irish will await the winner of Ohio State and Buffalo, who are set to get started at 1 p.m. Friday. Notre Dame has faced Ohio State 27 times historically, including earlier this year in South Bend. The Irish have never faced Buffalo in program history.
#23 Notre Dame 4, UIC 0
Singles competition
- #58 Akari Matsuno (ND) vs. Mayu Ushio (UIC) 4-6, 3-0, unfinished
- Bianca Molnar (ND) def. Edit Cosmo (UIC) 6-3, 6-2
- Nibi Ghosh (ND) def. Camille Belberka (UIC) 6-3, 6-0
- Rylie Hanford (ND) def. Marta Halbersztadt (UIC) 6-3, 6-1
- Maria Olivia Castedo (ND) vs. Nia Cooper (UIC) 4-6, 1-0, unfinished
- Carrie Beckman (ND) vs. Anais Brion (UIC) 6-3, 3-4, unfinished
Doubles competition
- #67 Carrie Beckman/Akari Matsuno (ND) def. Edit Cosmo/Camille Belberka (UIC) 6-0
- Nibi Ghosh/Rylie Hanford (ND) vs. Mayu Ushio/Dongke Liu (UIC) 4-3, unfinished
- Bojana Pozder/Bianca Molnar (ND) def. Nia Cooper/P Rodriguez Gregoris (UIC) 6-1
Match Notes:
UIC 17-5
Notre Dame 21-5; National ranking #23
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,2,3)
NCAA Championship First Round
Official: Julio Colon T-1:36