EAST LANSING, Mich. – Four student athletes represented the University of Notre Dame at the Spartan Invite, hosted by Michigan State over the weekend. The Irish were perfect on day one of the competition and split its six matches on the second day of the event. Maria Olivia Castedo, Rylie Hanford, Akari Matsuno and Yashna Yellayi all competed in the event.
On day one, the tandem of Hanford and Matsuno teamed to defeat Oihane Vicario and Bethany Yauch from Colorado State, 6-1. Castedo and Yellayi earned a 6-4 win over Merri Kelly and Bayley Sheinin from Michigan.
In individual competition, Castedo came out victorious again, defeating Michigan’s Kelly, 7-5, 6-4. Yellayi earned a three-set win over Sheinin, 6-3, 0-6, 6-3. Matsuno earned a 6-1, 6-2 win over Western Michigan’s Lindsey Zieglar and Hanford earned a hard-fought win over WMU’s Karin Hamilton, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 7-6 (3).
The second day saw the Irish split the six matchups. Castedo and Yellayi combined for a win in doubles, defeating Elisabeth Desmarais and Emilija Kojcic from Marquette, 7-5. Hanford and Mastuno dropped a 6-4 decision to Michigan’s Andrea Cerdan and Nicole Hammond.
Singles action saw Castedo earn a straight-set victory over Desmarais, 6-2, 6-3. Yellayi dropped the first set to Kojcic before dominating the final two to earn the 3-6, 6-0. 6-0 win. Matsuno fell 7-5, 6-4 to Cerdan and Hanford fell 7-6 (6), 6-1 to Hammond.
Up Next
The Irish are in action this week at the ITA All-American Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event will run through October 7.