ROME, GA – Making program history with their appearance at the ITA Cup, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's tennis duo of Nicole Ridenour and Anushka Jaiswal battled through a tightly contested match on Thursday afternoon, ultimately falling in the round of 16 to Trinity University's Trinity Levy and Rosabella Andrade, 6-2, 4-6, (10-6), at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College.

After dropping the first set 6-2, Ridenour and Jaiswal regrouped and showed their resolve in the second, grinding out a 6-4 win to force a deciding match tiebreak. The Engineers duo traded points with their nationally ranked opponents before coming up just short in the 10-point breaker, 10-6.

The loss concluded a remarkable fall run for Ridenour and Jaiswal, who advanced to the ITA Cup after capturing the ITA Northeast Regional Doubles Championship, a first in RPI program history. Their title in the regional tournament not only marked a milestone for the Engineers but also earned the pair a coveted spot in the national field at one of the most prestigious small-college tournaments in the country.

The Engineers will begin preparations for the spring campaign, which is set to start on February 14 with a dual meet at Wellesley College.