BRUNSWICK, Maine — Ayla Hauser (Knoxville, TN/Bearden) defeated No. 3 seed Agnes Guggenheim of Wesleyan, 6-4, 6-3, on Friday to reach the singles round of 16 on the opening day of the 2026 ITA New England Regional, leading Smith College at Bowdoin College. Hauser also advanced to the round of 16 in doubles with Heidi Cambron (Sherbrooke, Canada/Champlain College Lennoxville), while Ava Emrich (Smyrna, Delaware/Tower Hill School) and Lara Paunovic (Pozarevac, Serbia/Požarevac Gymnasium) each won their opening singles matches.

Hauser opened singles play with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Ruzi Iscen of Amherst, then held off Guggenheim in straight sets in the second round. In doubles, Hauser and Cambron dropped just four games across two matches to move into the round of 16.

Emrich earned an 8-4 first-round win over Elise Hepburn of Bates. Paunovic led Lily Dounchis of Amherst 6-4 when rain suspended play, and after a three-hour delay, she returned to close out an 8-5 victory.

Play resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday, when Hauser and Cambron face Babson's top-seeded doubles team in the round of 16.

About Smith Athletics
Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information, log on to GoSmithBears.com and follow the Bears on Facebook and Instagram.