Irish Sweep Doubleheader Against Bellarmine Sunday

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame women’s tennis went 2-1 over the past weekend, posting two wins over Bellarmine on Sunday following a loss to 17th-ranked Ohio State on Friday. Notre Dame improves to 9-1 on the season and 7-1 inside the Eck Tennis Pavilion.

The Irish opened up Sunday morning with a 7-0 shutout win. Notre Dame got a 6-1 win on No. 1 doubles from Akari Matsuno/Bianca Molnar to start off the day. Kate Bellia/Carrie Beckman clinched the early point for the Irish after a 6-3 win on No. 3 singles, as Notre Dame headed into singles play with a 1-0 advantage.

Matsuno, ranked No. 71 in the ITA Singles Rankings, made quick work at No. 2 singles, winning 6-1, 6-0 in straight sets. Bojana Pozder followed suit with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles.

Beckman clinched the match for the Irish with a 6-1, 6-2 win on court three, while Bellia took No. 6 singles 6-4, 6-1 for the fifth Irish point. Bianca Molnar also secured a straight sets win, taking No. 4 singles 6-3, 6-1.

After winning the first set 6-0, Maria Olivia Castedo had to battle in the second set. The senior would prevail in a tiebreaking fashion to give Notre Dame straight set sweeps across the board and a perfect 7-0 win.

Notre Dame 7, Bellarmine 0

Singles:

1. Bojana Pozder (ND) def. Marika Caruk (BELL) 6-0, 6-1
2. #71 Akari Matsuno (ND) def. Vendula Kryslova (BELL) 6-1, 6-0
3. Carrie Beckman (ND) def. Nikola Kollaritsch (BELL) 6-1, 6-2
4. Bianca Molnar (ND) def. Reese Parker (BELL) 6-4, 6-1
5. Maria Olivia Castedo (ND) def. Lillie Willis (BELL) 6-0, 7-6 (8-6)
6. Kate Bellia (ND) def. Shu Grosso (BELL) 6-4, 6-1

Doubles:

1. Akari Matsuno/Bianca Molnar (ND) def. Ekaterina Tikhonko/Yeva Kramarova (BELL) 6-1
2. Bojana Pozder/Rylie Hanford (ND) vs. Vendula Kryslova/Reese Parker (BELL) unfinished
3. Kate Bellia/Carrie Beckman (ND) def. Marika Caruk/Nikola Kollaritsch (BELL) 6-3

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

The Irish continued the momentum in the second match of the doubleheader. Matsuno/Rylie Hanford teamed up at No.2 doubles, earning a 6-2 win that shortly was followed by Beckman/Molnar 6-3 victory over at the top doubles slot. The Irish once again went into singles play with the early advantage. 

Matsuno got her second singles win, but this time at No. 1 singles, taking it with ease 6-1, 6-0.

Beckman would go 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 singles while Hanford’s 6-2, 6-2 decision clinched Notre Dame’s ninth victory of the season.

Both Molnar and Pozder finished out their respective matches. Molnar won court 5 with a 6-0, 6-1 outcome while Pozder took her match 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. Notre Dame won the second match of the doubleheader 6-0.

Notre Dame 6, Bellarmine 0

Singles:

1. #71 Akari Matsuno (ND) def. Marika Caruk (BELL) 6-1, 6-0
2. Bojana Pozder (ND) def. Nikola Kollaritsch (BELL) 6-1, 6-2
3. Carrie Beckman (ND) def. Vendula Kryslova (BELL) 6-0, 6-1
4. Rylie Hanford (ND) def. Reese Parker (BELL) 6-2, 6-2
5. Bianca Molnar (ND) def. Shu Grosso (BELL) 6-0, 6-1
6. Kate Bellia (ND) vs. Lillie Willis (BELL) 6-2, 2-2, unfinished

Doubles:

1. Carrie Beckman/Bianca Molnar (ND) def. Ekaterina Tikhonko/Yeva Kramarova (BELL) 6-3
2. Akari Matsuno/Rylie Hanford (ND) def. Reese Parker/Vendula Kryslova (BELL) 6-2
3. Maria Olivia Castedo/Kate Bellia (ND) vs. Marika Caruk/Nikola Kollaritsch (BELL) unfinished

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

Ohio State Recap

After starting the season 7-0, Notre Dame met its match Friday afternoon at the Eck Tennis Pavilion. The first ranked opponent the Irish has played this season, Ohio State won the doubles point early to set the tone. The Buckeyes controlled the pace of singles play as well, wining in straight sets from No. 1 to No. 5 singles. 

However, Molnar pulled out her first ranked win of her career at No. 6 singles. After winning the first set but dropping the second set, the freshman showed a lot of poise during the tiebreak third set, battling 60th-ranked Audrey Spencer to the end. Molnar prevailed in a 10-7 tiebreaker for the win and a point on the scoreboard for Notre Dame.

#17 Ohio State 6, Notre Dame 1

 Singles:

1. #9 Luciana Perry (OSU) def. Bojana Pozder (ND) 6-1, 6-3
2. #55 Teah Chavez (OSU) def. #71 Akari Matsuno (ND) 7-5, 6-1
3. Shelly Bereznyak (OSU) def. Carrie Beckman (ND) 6-3, 6-1
4. Sydni Ratliff (OSU) def. Nibi Ghosh (ND) 6-4, 6-3
5. #107 Nao Nishino (OSU) def. Rylie Hanford (ND) 6-1, 6-2
6. Bianca Molnar (ND) def. #60 Audrey Spencer (OSU) 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-7)

Doubles:

1. Luciana Perry/Teah Chavez (OSU) def. Carrie Beckman/Akari Matsuno (ND) 6-2
2. Nibi Ghosh/Rylie Hanford (ND) vs. #63 Alessia Cau/Dani Schoenly (OSU) 5-4, unfinished
3. Sydni Ratliff/Sophia CisseIgnatiev (OSU) def. Bojana Pozder/Maria Olivia Castedo (ND) 6-3

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

The Irish will host Xavier on Sunday at 11 a.m. inside the Eck Tennis Pavilion. All admission to Notre Dame tennis matches is free.