CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Both of Rhode Island's doubles teams earned victories and advanced to the Round of 32 at the 2024 ITA Division I Women's New England Regional Championship Friday.
 
The veteran team of junior Sophie Herrman and senior Klara Nelander were matched up against Siena's Zaara Omar and Reegan Mullaney. Nelander and Herrman notched an 8-4 victory.

On Saturday, they will face the Bryant team of Caitlyn Munson and Natalia Vela for a spot in the Round of 16.

Rhody junior Nikki Fernando and freshman Katharina Spieth scored an 8-5 win over Dartmouth's team of Sam Grosjean and Lauren Han to earn their spot in the Round of 32. On Saturday they will play against Serafima Shastova and Constance Levivier from Syracuse. Shastova and Levivier are the No. 13 seed in the doubles draw.

"Today was a tough day in singles play, but we got valuable experience and we got better from it," Rhode Island head coach Jonas Brobeck said. "We did a great job of resetting and playing solid doubles. I am happy to see we are getting better on the things we have been working on."

The Rams suffered three losses in the singles draw. Spieth played her third three-set match in two days. She took the opening set against Cornell's Michelle Ryndin 6-1, but Ryndin rallied to take the match 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. Herrman fell to Brown's Isabella Hu 6-0, 6-1, and Fernando was defeated by Army's Cooper Jackson 6-1, 6-2.  

Saturday will consist of one round of consolation play in singles and one round of doubles action as well.

2024 ITA Division I Women's
New England Regional Championship
Friday Results
Singles
Round of 64
Michelle Ryndin (Cornell) def. Katharina Spieth (URI); 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Cooper Jackson (Army) def. Nikki Fernando (URI); 6-1, 6-2
Isabella Hu (Brown) def. Sophie Herrman (URI); 6-0, 6-1

Doubles
Round of 64
Klara Nelander/Sophie Herrman (URI) def. Zaara Omar/Reegan Mullaney (Siena); 6-4
Nikki Fernando/Katharina Spieth (URI) def. Sam Grosjean/Lauren Han (Dartmouth); 8-5.