MEDFORD – The Tufts University women's tennis team clinched a victory by winning the first five matches and finished with a 6-3 non-league win over Brandeis University on Thursday at Voute Courts.
In the new Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III poll released today, Tufts at #8 and Brandeis at #14 were just six spots apart. However, the Jumbos (6-5) handled the Judges (9-5) fairly easily this afternoon.
Tufts jumped to a 3-0 lead by winning every doubles competition. The #1 pair of freshmen Maggie Dorr and Caroline Garrido continued to roll with an 8-4 win over Brandeis senior Olivia Leavitt and sophomore Lauren Bertsch. Senior Tomo Iwasaki with sophomore Patricia Obeid posted an 8-3 win in third doubles for the Jumbos. The sweep was completed at #2 where freshman Anna Lowy with junior Kat Wiley – typically the #3 starters – won 8-5.
Garrido lost just one set to Bertsch at fourth singles to give the Jumbos a 4-0 lead. Obeid won the decisive match 6-4, 6-2 in third singles over senior Keren Khromchenko.
Brandeis would win three of the remaining four matches. Senior Sophia He won in two sets (6-3, 7-5) over Jumbo sophomore Kiara Rosein fifth singles, while Judges Diana Dehterevich at #1 singles and freshman #6 Ana Hatfield both won third-set super tie-breakers for the visitors.
Iwasaki also had a super tie-breaker win 2-6, 6-2, 11-9 at second singles for Tufts.
The Jumbos travel to Vermont to face #3 Middlebury College on Saturday. Brandeis plays Saturday at Bowdoin.
