BRUNSWICK, MAINE (October 2, 2026) -- Junior
Melanie Woodbury was the lone Tufts University women's tennis player to move into the Round of 16 at the 2026 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) New England Championships Friday, with action being played on the campus of Bowdoin College.
The Jumbos had five players in the singles' main draw, and four doubles' pairs but it was only Woodbury who was undefeated on Friday to continue in the main draw.
Woodbury knocked off Ananya Annapantula of Middlebury 6-3, 6-2 in the opening round, and then outlasted Te'Anna Mata of Babson College 3-6, 7-6, 1-0 (9) in the super tie-breaker. Woodbury will now take on Gabriela Finchelstein of Williams in the Round of 16 Saturday.
Junior
Nisan Can played her first collegiate match with the Jumbos, and defeated Lucinda Gatsionis of Wesleyan 6-3, 6-3 in the opening round. In the Round of 32, Can would fall to Julia Ross of Bowdoin College 6-4, 6-2.
Nadia Khera was a ranked competitor, winning in the opening round 6-3, 6-1 against Natalia Leroy of Wesleyan. Khera would drop her next match 7-6 (4), 6-4 to Greta Stechschulte of Amherst College in the Round of 32.
Kyra McCandless fell in the first round to Ella Wertz of Colby College 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (6), while
Athena Li dropped a 6-4, 7-6 decision to Kayla Mitchell of Wesleyan.
In doubles, McCandless and sophomore
Alyssa Khou won their first round tilt against Milana Sofizade and Kayla Chan of Brandeis 8-3. The duo would fall to No. 3 seed Lara Afolayanka and Lucinda Gatsionis 8-7 (5).
Can and junior
Ryan Wuhrman were a First Round winner with a score of 8-5, but dropped an 8-7 (5) loss to No. 4 seed Tina She and Lily Dounchis of Amherst. No. 8 seed
Brooklyn Bindas and Woodbury also bowed out in the Round of 32, falling 8-5 to Nina Costalas and Naomi Williams of Bowdoin.
In the "B" singles draw, all five players won their first round match, as No. 7 seed
Ryan Wuhrman knocked off Jocelyn Harris of Bates, 8-6. Khou bested No. 5 seed Kayla Chan of Brandeis 8-3, and seeded Lily Back won 8-2 over Nishi Gandra of MIT.
Claudia Grove won 8-0 over Ava Shea of Springfield, and
Evelina Anastasi rolled to an 8-1 win as well over Polina Briggs of Bowdoin.
Action will continue with Day 2 at 9 a.m. Saturday at Bowdoin.
--JUMBOS--
