Box Score

WELLESLEY, Mass. — The Bates College women's tennis team opened its 2026-27 season with three days of competition against Wellesley, Brandeis and Babson at the Wellesley Invitational, held Friday through Sunday.

The Bobcats earned 11 victories across singles and doubles competition over the course of the weekend, led by three wins from Avni Bakre (So.) and a 2-0 singles performance from first-year June Kim.

Bates opened the weekend Friday with competition against Wellesley and Brandeis.

Bakre picked up the Bobcats' first victory with a 6-3 singles win over Wellesley's Zoe Li (Fy.), while Ava Steinberger (Sr.) and Francesca Rodriguez (Fy.) teamed for a 6-2 doubles victory over seniors Kriti Sarav and Lily Cade. 

Teaming with Hannah Farber (So.), Bakre added her second victory of the day, a 6-3 doubles win over Brandeis' Galia Harmelin (So.) and Mariam Chkhikvadze (Fy.).

The Bobcats returned to the courts Saturday morning for singles competition against host Wellesley and came away with four victories.

Briana Bartels (Fy.) prevailed in one of the most competitive matches of the weekend. After taking the opening set 6-1 against Suzanne Xu (Sr.), Bartels dropped the second 6-4 before securing the victory with a 10-7 win in the deciding match tiebreak.

Kim defeated Sofia Corte-Real (Jr.) 7-5, 6-1, while Emma Schillinger (Fy.) rolled to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Praslin Hayes (So.). Elise Hepburn (Sr.) also won in straight sets, surrendering just three games in a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Lily Cade (Sr.).

Bates closed the weekend Sunday with four victories in 11 eight-game pro-set singles matches against Brandeis.

Kim completed her weekend with an 8-2 victory over Milana Sofizade (So.), while Bakre earned an 8-1 win over Beatriz Ohara (Fy.). 

Rodriguez provided the tightest victory Sunday, edging Jillian Yang (Fy.), 8-7, and taking the tiebreak, 7-5. Steinberger rounded out the Bobcats' winners with an 8-4 victory over Chkhikvadze. 

The event marked the first competition for Bates under first-year head coach Valeria Nikolaev.

The garnet and white heads home to host the Bates Hidden Duals this Saturday and Sunday at the Wallach Tennis Center. Opponents will be Colby College, Trinity College, and Vassar College.