The Brandeis women’s tennis team is well into their season having just competed in the Nor’Easter Bowl. The tournament was fairly successful with more highs than lows. The team is led by head coach Ben Lamanna and assistant coach Michael Kopelman. The team captains include Sarita Biswas ’16 and Hannah Marion ’16. The tournament lasted all weekend with the Judges first going against Christopher Newport University on Friday.
The 31-ranked Judges dominated against the 33-ranked Christopher Newport University Friday afternoon at the Rieger Tennis Courts, with a 7-2 score. At the time it allowed the Judges to improve to 3-5, while the Captains fell to 10-4. The Brandeis doubles teams controlled the courts. Taking the No. 1 matchup, 8-4 was Haley Cohen ’18 and Olivia Leavitt ’19. Winning by the same 8-4 score and taking the No. 2 spot included the pair Charlotte Aaron ’18, an editor on The Brandeis Hoot, and Sophia He ’19. Then in the No. 3 matchup, staying undefeated as a pairing on the season and winning 8-5 for their third win of the year were Emily Eska ’16 and Maya Vasser ’16. In the singles rounds the Judges continued to play well with Eska and Vasser both earning themselves wins, respectively 7-6(4), 6-3 and 6-2, 6-2. At No. 3, Keren Khromchenko ’19 won 6-2, 6-2 and classmate Leavitt, at No. 2 defeated CNU’s Katie Carlson 6-2, 6-2 as well. Cohen fell to McKinney Hardwood after splitting the first two sets 4-6 and 6-2, but Hardwood took the final set after playing a 12-point tiebreaker.
On Saturday the Judges fell to sixth-ranked Amherst, 8-1 on the Brandeis indoor courts in Gosman Athletic Center. This caused the Judges to fall to 3-6 while Amherst improved to 6-4. Unfortunately, the doubles teams were not as strong as their Friday performance with Amherst taking all three doubles matchups. The best showing for Brandeis came from Eska and Vasser but fell 8-5, losing their first matchup as a pair this season. Then No. 1 pairing Cohen and Leavitt fell 8-4 to Amherst’s Sue Ghosh and Sarah Monteagudo. In the singles matchup the Judges did see a win coming from Khomchenko. She split the first two sets with her opponent Jackie Calla, 6-4, 1-6 and in lieu of a third set they played a 10-tiebreaker which earned Khromchenko the win, 10-7. Playing eight point games were the No. 4, 5 and 6 matchups which Amherst took 8-2, 8-3 and 8-3 respectively.
The Brandeis women’s tennis team closed the Nor’Easter Bowl on Sunday by playing strong and defeating St. Lawrence University, 5-1. Due to inclement weather the competition was shortened and moved locations, after initially set for the match to be held at the Brandeis’ Rieger Courts, they were instead moved to The Longfellow Club in Wayland. The Judges finished the tournament with a record of 2-1 and improved 4-6 overall while the Saints fell 7-6. In the doubles action the Judges started strong by taking the first two matches. At the No. 2 spot Aaron and He won 9-7, while Eska and Vasser crushed their opponents with an 8-0 victory at No. 3. The Judges continued this momentum in the singles matches, dominating over the Saints. The No. 5 matchup saw Vasser defeat her opponent 6-3, 6-0 and then at No. 2 Khromchenko earned herself another victory 6-1, 6-0. Leavitt sealed the deal at the No. 1 spot with a well deserved total win 6-0, 6-0. Due to limited access to the courts, the No. 3 and No. 4 matchups were unfinished and the No. 6 was not played.
Come support the Judges, who will be back on the Rieger Tennis Courts this Friday at 3 p.m. going against Wheaton (Mass.) College.
