CARY, N.C. – The 10th-seeded Notre Dame women’s tennis squad battled back after losing the doubles point to 15th-seeded Boston College to win 4-2 and advance to the next round of the ACC Tournament. Freshman Jessica Kovalcik played clincher and hero in the match. With the Irish up 3-2 and both remaining courts tied at 4-4 in the third set – Kovalcik pushed through first for the victory.
Backtracking to doubles, it was Notre Dame’s ranked pair of Bianca Molnar and Bojana Pozder who earned the lone ‘W’ tonight. The 41st-ranked duo defeated Agar/Benton, 6-4.
In singles, the Blue & Gold responded emphatically, winning across three courts to go up 3-1. It started with Akari Matsuno defeating Seren Agar, 6-4, 6-3. Then it was Sophia Holod knocking off Tola Glowacka, 7-5, 6-4. Lastly, it was Rylie Hanford besting Isabella Camacho, 6-4, 6-4.
Next, Boston College won a three-set battle on court three to tighten the overall score 3-2, putting all eyes on court one with Molnar and court six with Kovalcik.
Both Molnar and Kovalcik fought back after losing the first set to win the second and force a third. Both Molnar and Kovalcik were tied 4-4 with their opponent on serve. Both Molnar and Kovalcik broke to go up 5-4.
It was then the freshman who answered the call. Kovalcik, who had only lost one dual singles match all spring, wasn’t going to let ND bow out of the ACC Tournament. She clinched the match by knocking off Nadia Barteck, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Up next, the Irish will play 7th-seeded Clemson on Thursday night at 6 p.m. ET.
#10 seed Notre Dame (17-8) – 4 | #15 seed Boston College (10-13) – 2
DOUBLES – 3, 1, 2
1. #41 Molnar/Pozder (ND) def. Agar/Benton (BC), 6-4
2. Camacho/Glowacka (BC) def. Rawles/Hanford (ND), 7-5
3. Games/Cutone (BC) def. Matsuno/Van Zyl (ND), 6-4
SINGLES – 2, 4, 5, 3, 6
1. #71 Bianca Molnar (ND) vs. #105 Olivia Benton (BC), 4-6, 6-1, 5-4, unfinished
2. Akari Matsuno (ND) def. Seren Agar (BC), 6-4, 6-3
3. Leyden Games (BC) def. Bojana Pozder (ND), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
4. Sophia Holod (ND) def. Tola Glowacka (BC), 7-5, 6-4
5. Rylie Hanford (ND) def. Isabella Camacho (BC), 6-4, 6-4
6. Jessica Kovalcik (ND) def. Nadia Barteck (BC), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
— ND —