KALAMAZOO, MI – Johns Hopkins junior Ashnaa Rao advanced to the second round of the 2016 NCAA Singles Championship Thursday. She won her first round match, becoming the fourth player in program history to advance the round of 16. Rao finishes the season with a 15-6 record, leading the team in singles wins, and earns All-America honors. She is just the second two-time All-American in singles in program history. 

Rao did not lose a game in winning her first round match over Natalie Etchegaray of Redlands. She then advanced to face third-seeded Ria Gerger of Middlebury. The two met 12 days ago in the NCAA Sweet 16, with Gerger coming out on top in straight sets at number one singles. This time, Rao won the first set by a 6-3 score, but Gerger rebounded to win the second and third sets by the same 6-2 score to take the match. Rao now has 37 career singles wins, tying her for 13th in school history.