The University of Rhode Island Women’s tennis team competed against several schools this past weekend in the International Tennis Hall of Fame Women’s Collegiate Invitational in Newport, RI.
There were four doubles teams representing the Rhody Rams when they stepped onto the court on Friday to begin the first of three consecutive days of matches. Georgetown University, Providence College, Brown University, Dartmouth College, and Rutgers University were the competing schools in attendance.
To start the weekend off on Friday, doubles partners fifth-year Nadia Rajan and second-year Niki Fernando were defeated by Georgetown University’s Mchaley Ho and Chloe Bendetti with a two set game score of 6-3 and 6-4. URI second-year Ava Grnja and first-year Steph Hylton defeated Valentina Cruz and Ujvala Jupalli of Dartmouth 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Head Coach Jonas Brobeck highlighted the fact that his newly appointed position as head coach of the team is an adjustment for both the players and himself. He went on to add that the practice week leading up to the matches was more of a time to go over the basics and get a feel for how the team works together.
During the rest of the matches on Friday, Georgetown defeated fourth-year Valentina Cvackova and second-year Sophie Herman 7-6 (5), 6-3. In a long, competitive match, second-year Pryankia Shanker and first-year Blake Rothchild defeated Vannelie Melendez and Hiba El Khalifi from Providence College with an ending score of 6-2, 3-6, 12-10.
Brobeck acknowledged that even though it was a long weekend of back-to-back matches, playing doubles is not as physically straining. He later went on to explain that the team is in good shape for such an early point in the season. As the weekend continued, it was all uphill for the Rams. On Saturday, Paige Gilbert and Ashley Kennedy from Georgetown defeated Grnja and Hylton with an 8-4 game score. Chloe Brown and Minchae Kim from Rutgers defeated Shanker and Rothchild 8-3.
Rajan and Fernando defeated Mae Avery and Erika Beltran Beckley from Providence College 8-1. Back in their rhythm as doubles partners from last season, Cvackova and Herman defeated Lauren Carson and Barrera Aguirre of Providence college 8-0.
Morgan Coburn and Avatika Willy from Georgetown defeated Grnja and Hylton 6-0, 6-4. Olivia Ashton and Katie Garotolo from Georgetown defeated Shanker and Rothchild 6-3, 6-2.
Cvackov and Herman defeated Melendez and Khalifi 6-1, 7-6. Rajan and Fernando defeated Carson and Aguirre 6-2, 6-1.
The team showed their improvement on Sunday from the opening match on Friday, according to Brobeck.
“I was happy to see each of the doubles teams really develop their playing, especially at such a high level,” Brobeck said.
From a coach’s standpoint, Brobeck discussed that the team’s improvement over the course of the weekend was a significant factor in what makes a successful team.
Morgan Coburn and Avantika Willy of Georgetown defeated Shanker and Rothchild in three long sets 5-7, 6-1, 10-8. Olivia Ashton and Katie Gotofolo-Ro defeated Grnja and Hylton 7-5, 6-3. Cvackova and Herman defeated Abreu and Beckley 6-3, 6-1. Rajan and Fernando closed out the weekend with a 6-2, 6-2 win against Medelz and Kahlifi.
When looking back at the weekend, Brobeck took notice of how the team improved both mentally and physically.
“They are a very close-knit group,” Brobeck said.
He went on to praise the team for their commitment to the program and the development process as they focus on their next match.
As parents’ weekend rolls around the corner, the Rams will host their Fall Invitational at the newly renovated tennis courts on the URI campus. Looking ahead to that match on Sept. 30, Brobeck is thrilled for the team to be finally hosting a match on the school’s campus.