In November 2015, Kovaleva debuted as the alternate for the national team at the 2015 European Curling Championships in Esbjerg, replacing Ekaterina Galkina who took a break from curling. The Russians won the tournament; it was Kovaleva's first gold medal at the European Championships. She and her team won the 2016 bronze as the alternate, and the 2017 World Women's Curling Championship silver as the second. She was also the alternate at the 2017 European Curling Championships, where her team finished 5th.