ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The No. 13-ranked Kenyon College women's tennis team opened its 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Championship run in typical fashion Wednesday afternoon, rolling past Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology by a 4-0 score at the Tao Tennis Center on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis.
Kenyon struck first in doubles, where the No. 3 pairing of
Clare Hudson and
Maggie Shope breezed by Camille Clark and Paige Mills 6-0. The Owls quickly doubled the damage at No. 2 doubles, as
Shadia Amado Aguad and
Kiara Komlodi handled Emerson Donaldson and Nova Gladden 6-1 to secure the doubles point. At No. 1,
Eleni Lazaridou and
Hana Nouaime were ahead of Addie Patterson and Lia Taylor 5-0 when the match went unfinished.
After snatching the early edge, Kenyon never let Rose-Hulman find a foothold. Lazaridou, the Owls' senior standout at No. 1 singles, delivered a clinical 6-0, 6-0 sweep over Taylor to extend the lead. Komlodi followed with another dominant showing at No. 2, taking down Donaldson 6-1, 6-0 and pushing Kenyon to the brink of victory.
Elizabeth Ackermann then slammed the door shut at No. 6 singles, defeating Gladden 6-0, 6-2 to clinch the match and send the Owls deeper into the national bracket.
KC's remaining singles matches were also trending in the Owls' favor when play stopped, as Nouaime led 6-0, 4-0 at No. 3, Amado Aguad led 6-1, 3-0 at No. 4, and
Hudson held a 6-0, 3-1 advantage at No. 5.
With the win, Kenyon advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where it will face the winner of Grinnell College and Wheaton College on Friday, May 8, at 1 p.m. in St.Louis.
