CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Notre Dame women’s tennis program hit the road to the University of Illinois for a fall season staple – the ITA Midwest Regionals. The event is being held at the Atkins Tennis Center from Thursday, Oct. 16 – Tuesday, Oct. 21.
The Fighting Irish had one representative trying to earn her way through qualifying on Thursday. Freshman Jessica Kovalcik won her first match 6-0, 7-5 vs. Nia Cooper of UIC, but then hit a road block in the next round, suffering a 6-4, 7-6(3) defeat to Michigan’s Laura Maser.
Now, both the singles & doubles main draws will commence on Friday. The Fighting Irish will have six student-athletes competing in the singles main draw starting at 2 p.m. ET.
Prior, three doubles pairings will kick off the day starting at 10 a.m. The duo of Bianca Molnar and Bojana Pozder enter the weekend with a 5-2 record and will earn a first round bye.
FRIDAY SINGLES MAIN DRAW SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)
- Esther Vyrlan vs. Wisconsin’s Kaede Usui – 2 p.m.
- Akari Matsuno vs. Michigan State’s Hanna Tsitavets – 3:30 p.m.
- Bianca Molnar vs. Ohio State’s Audrey Spencer – 3:30 p.m.
- Sophia Holod vs. Chicago State’s Camila Sanchez – 3:30 p.m.
- Bojana Pozder vs. Michigan’s Laura Maser – 2 p.m.
- Mari-Louise Van Zyl vs. Wisconsin’s Lucie Urbanova – 2 p.m.
FRIDAY DOUBLES MAIN DRAW SCHEDULE
- Matsuno/Holod vs. Western Michigan’s Smitek/Khotko – 10 a.m.
- Kovalcik/Van Zyl vs. DePaul’s Pehlivan/Sechi – 10 a.m.
- Pozder/Molnar – first round bye
- R32: Pozder/Molnar – 11 a.m.
NOTRE DAME SINGLES QUALIFYING RESULTS
- R64: Jessica Kovalcik (ND) def. Nia Cooper (UIC), 6-0, 7-5
- R32: Laura Maser (MICH) def. Jessica Kovalcik (ND), 6-4, 7-6(3)
— ND —