The University of Rhode Island women’s tennis team split its two-game homestand with a 6-1 win against Bryant University and a 4-3 loss to Atlantic 10 Conference opponent George Washington University.
Thursday’s matchup with the Bulldogs started with a pregame celebration for URI’s three fourth-years: Nikki Fernando, Sophie Herrman and Ava Grnja.
“When I took over this program, they stayed around and they bought into our vision and our new standards and that type of stuff, which means a lot to me,” URI head coach Jonas Brobeck said. “I’ve seen them grow immensely, which is awesome, and they’re fantastic students as well. They are truly the definition of what a student-athlete should be.”
Fernando and first-year Kajsa Helgesen took a 6-1 win at No. 1 doubles to start the day, followed by two more wins at No. 2 and No. 3 to sweep the point. Second-years Grace Darcy and Anastasia Pettersson won 6-0 over Bryant fourth-years Lisa Dugec and Lucia Pino, followed by Grnja and Herrman earning a 6-2 win.
“I’m really proud of the girls for playing for each other and playing for something bigger than themselves,” Brobeck said. “It’s senior day, celebrating those seniors, so I felt like we really had a sense of joy in competing. In those tough moments and in those close matches, if we can go in with a mindset that we enjoy competing, we are going to play freely.”
In singles play, the Rams earned victories in five of the six singles matches, including Darcy, Fernando, Herrman, Helgesen and first-year Miruna Scarlat.
Two days following the win, the Rams hosted the Revolutionaries at the URI Tennis Complex for a morning match.
Once again, Rhody earned the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3 to head into singles play up 1-0. Both duos of Fernando and Helgesen and Grnja and Herrman earned 6-4 victories.
The Rams put themselves within one point of clinching the match after wins from Darcy and Fernando at No. 1 and No. 2 singles. Darcy defeated third-year Solange Skeene 7-5, 6-2, and Fernando won her three-set match against third-year Victoria Sasinka 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.
However, the Revolutionaries went on to take the remaining four singles matches, three of which went three sets. All four matches also contained tie-breaking sets.
“It’s a heartbreaker, but you have to learn from it,” Brobeck said. “It’s important to be put in those situations throughout the year, and as hurtful as it is being on the wrong side of it, I have to believe that it’s a teaching moment for us, because next time we are in that moment, we are going to have more experience and we’re hopefully going to be on the right side of it.”
Following the loss, the Rams dropped to 1-3 in conference play and will not earn a top-four seed in the A-10 Tournament.
Rhody has one regular-season game remaining against Fordham University, which is 4-0 in conference play and earned sweeps in all four matches.
“To be the best, you have to play the best and you have to compete against the best,” Brobeck said. “It would be a disservice as a coach not playing physical and tough matches leading into the tournament, which we’ll know will be physical and tough… Perfect preparation for the A-10s.”
URI will travel to the Bronx, N.Y., and take on Fordham on Saturday at noon.
