WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's tennis team had an early lead on visiting Bowdoin College today, but the Judges couldn't hang on for the upset as the Polar Bears took a 6-3 victory on the Rieger Tennis Courts. Brandeis, ranked 18th in Division III by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, falls to 11-3 as their six-match winning streak was snapped. Bowdoin, ranked No. 2 nationally, improves to 12-0.
The Judges were ahead 2-1 after the end of doubles play. Bowdoin won a battle of two of the best doubles teams in the nation at No. 1, with Luke Tercek and Grant Urken taking down Brandeis's David Aizenberg (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park) and Anupreeth Coramutla (Monroe Townships, N.J./Phillips Andover), 8-3, to get the scoring started. Brandeis bounced back with a win by rookies Nikhil Das (Smithfield, R.I./Moses Brown School) and Rahan Vohra (Glen Head, N.Y./North Shore) winning 8-5 at No. 3 to even the match. Juniors Jackson Kogan (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Windward School) and Tyler Ng (Great Neck, N.Y./Great Neck South) gave the Judges the 2-1 lead with an 8-6 victory at No. 2.
Bowdoin rebounded nicely in singles action, winning the first four matches to clinch the victory. Justin Patel knocked off Ben Wolfe (Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon), 6-3, 6-2, to open the scoring at No. 6. Urken completed a sweep of Aizenberg at No. 1 by blanking the Judge in the tiebreaker in the second set., 6-1, 7-6 (7-0). The clinching wins for the visitors saw Gill Roddy defeat Ng, 6-4, 6-1.
The rookie duo of Das and Vohra had the best singles matches for the Judges as well. Das earned a 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 win at No. 4, while Vohra couldn't hang on after winning the first set, 6-4, before falling 2-6, 1-6.
Brandeis returns to action next Friday against Wheaton College.