SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame women’s tennis team earned its seventh win of the season Saturday afternoon at the Eck Tennis Pavilion. The Irish took the doubles point and five of six in singles to earn a 6-1 win over Big Ten foe, Northwestern. The Irish improve to 7-1 on the season, the best start to a season in head coach Alison Silverio’s tenure, and the first since 2016-17, when the Irish started the season 14-1.
In doubles, Page Freeman and Maria Olivia Castedo teamed to earn a 6-2 win over the No. 1 Wildcat team of Briana Crowley and Sydeny Pratt. After the Irish dropped the second flight, Yashna Yellayi and Rylie Hanford teamed to clinch the point with a 6-3 win over Maria Shusharina and Kiley Rabjohns, 6-3.
Singles action saw the Irish take five of the six matches, two coming in straight sets. Julia Andreach and Freeman earned wins at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. Carrie Beckman clinched the win with a 6-2, 0-6, 6-0 win at No. 6. Yellayi and Bojana Pozder closed the already clinched match with hard-fought wins at No. 4 and No. 5. Yellayi earned a 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (3) win, with Pozder defeating Pratt 6-4, 1-6, 10-7 for the final point.
Singles competition
1.#91 Page Freeman (ND-W) def. Maria Shusharina (NUW) 6-2, 6-3
- Julia Andreach (ND-W) def. #74 Christina Hand (NUW) 6-1, 6-3
- #115 Yashna Yellayi (ND-W) def. Justine Leong (NUW) 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
- Bojana Pozder (ND-W) def. Sydney Pratt (NUW) 6-4, 1-6, 10-7
- Briana Crowley (NUW) def. Akari Matsuno (ND-W) 6-4, 6-4
- Carrie Beckman (ND-W) def. Kiley Rabjohns (NUW) 6-2, 0-6, 6-0
Doubles competition
- Page Freeman/Maria Olivia Castedo (ND-W) def. Briana Crowley/Sydney Pratt (NUW) 6-2
- #42 Christina Hand/Justine Leong (NUW) def. Julia Andreach/Carrie Beckman (ND-W) 6-1
- Yashna Yellayi/Rylie Hanford (ND-W) def. Maria Shusharina/Kiley Rabjohns (NUW) 6-3
The Irish are back in action next weekend as they host Penn State Friday afternoon at 3:30, and the Wisconsin Badgers Sunday afternoon. Each match will be streamed with live audio on RadioTennis.com, accompanying the UND.com video feed, with live results also available.