FALMOUTH, ME (May 10, 2025) - After a 4-0 rout of Nichols College yesterday, the No. 15 Tufts University Women's tennis team found themselves in a highly contested match-up with the No. 7 MIT Engineers.
The MIT squad put an incredible season together winning their eighth consecutive NEWMAC championship and compiling a 16-2 record. Notably, Tufts was responsible for one of those losses, beating the Engineers 5-2 on their home courts in March. The Jumbos looked to replicate the success that they found against MIT early in the year but just came up short in their efforts in a 4-1 loss Saturday.
MIT started off very hot in doubles play. The pairing of Alaina Kolli and Artemis Pados took down
Sophie Wax and
Natalie Hu 6-2 at No. 1 singles.
Brooklyn Bindas and
Athena Li quickly found themselves in a 4-0 hole in their No. 2 doubles match. Their comeback effort proved to not be enough as they lost 6-2 to Jay Lu and Chloe Zeng. The No. 3 doubles match featuring
Lucy Mitchell and Nicole Kintrioglu was stopped when MIT clinched the doubles point.
After winning yesterday's match in straight sets,
Nadia Khera was inserted back into the lineup at No. 6 singles. Khera took down Megan Sun 6-2, 6-3 putting her season record at 6-0.
At No. 4 singles Hu faced off against Saina Deshpande. Deshpande put together a dominant first set winning 6-1. Hu fought back in the second but Deshpande's break of her serve at 4-3 led to a 6-4 loss
No. 3 singles saw Li play Lu. Li fought hard but Lu stayed consistent throughout the match winning in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.
Ellie Gershaw found herself in a very tough battle with Fiona Lee at No. 1 singles. Gershaw was bested 6-4 in the first set and forced a tiebreak in the second set. She lost the second set tiebreak 7-2 which clinched the match for the Engineers. The other singles matches were abandoned when the Engineers won.
MIT will advance to the NCAA Third Round to face the No. 8 Bowdoin Polar Bears tomorrow at 2 p.m. on the Pickard Tennis Courts at Bowdoin University.
The match tomorrow will decide who will go to the NCAA quarter-finals at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center in Claremont, California.
--JUMBOS--
