Zoe Taylor & Zoe Spence

Irish Open Homestand with Sweep Over Akron

NOTRE DAME, In. —  Notre Dame Women’s Tennis kicked off the weekend with a 7-0 sweep over the Akron Zips. The Irish made quick work of the Zips in doubles play, winning all three matches to secure the point. In singles play, the Irish didn’t drop a match, taking all six singles points from the Zips.

How It Happened

The Irish earned the sweep in doubles play, defeating Akron in all three matches. Page Freeman and Maeve Koscielski struck first, earning the 6-1 win over Akron’s Derowski and Kruglov. Zoe Taylor and Zoe Spence followed suit, winning a 7-5 decision to clinch the doubles point. Bess Waldram and Julia Lilien worked a 6-4 victory to close out doubles play.

In singles, Koscielski and Lilien started strong, each earning a 6-0 decision in her first set. Waldram began with a decisive 5-0 lead on Derowski in the first set, eventually clinching the 6-1 win. Freeman’s first set ended, 6-1, in favor of the freshman, while Zoe Spence finished her first set with a 6-1 win.

Lilien earned the first singles point for the Irish behind her 6-0, 6-2 victory. Koscielski followed quickly behind with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over her own. Waldram earned the third singles point for the Irish, defeating Derowski, 6-1, 6-1. Freeman closed out with a 6-1, 6-2 win, while Spence won a 6-2, 6-1 decision to make it 6-0 in favor of the Irish.

Akron’s Aguilar forced the tiebreaker, with Taylor rallying to a 2-2 tie in the third set. A Taylor ace gave her a 3-2 lead and the match’s momentum. Taylor won the next two games to give her the 5-2 advantage. Taylor landed a match-clinching shot on the right side of the court that Aguilar was unable to reach to give the Irish the sweep.

#1 SINGLES   1     2     3   Notes
Claudia Rosas Garcia, Akron
2
1
Zoe Spence, Notre Dame
6
6
#2 SINGLES   1     2     3   Notes
Miruna Vasilescu, Akron
1
2
Order of finish: 4
Page Freeman, Notre Dame
6
6
#3 SINGLES   1     2     3   Notes
Rita Pedroso, Akron
0
2
Order of finish: 1
Julia Lilien, Notre Dame
6
6
#4 SINGLES   1     2     3   Notes
Jemi Aguilar, Akron
3
6
2
Zoe Taylor, Notre Dame
6
1
6
#5 SINGLES   1     2     3   Notes
Tanja Derowski, Akron
1
1
Order of finish: 3
Bess Waldram, Notre Dame
6
6
#6 SINGLES   1     2     3   Notes
Aliona Kruglov, Akron
0
2
Order of finish: 2
Maeve Koscielski, Notre Dame
6
6
#1 DOUBLES   1     2     3   Notes
Jemi Aguilar/Miruna Vasilescu, Akron
5
Order of finish: 3
Zoe Taylor/Zoe Spence, Notre Dame
7
#2 DOUBLES   1     2     3   Notes
Rita Pedroso/Claudia Rosas Garcia, Akron
4
Order of finish: 2
Bess Waldram/Julia Lilien, Notre Dame
6
#3 DOUBLES   1     2     3   Notes
Tanja Derowski/Aliona Kruglov, Akron
1
Order of finish: 1
Page Freeman/Maeve Koscielski, Notre Dame
6

Up Next

The Irish continue the homestand, hosting Kentucky and Butler in a doubleheader at the Eck Tennis Pavilion. The match vs. the Wildcats begins Sunday at 11 a.m., while the Irish will play the Bulldogs at 4 p.m. ET. Live streaming and live scoring will be both be available for the home matches. Admission is free.