NATICK, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's tennis team earned its third-straight win to open the season against a higher-division opponent today as the Judges defeated D1 Merrimack College, 8-1, at the Longfellow Tennis Club in Natick. The Judges improve to 3-0 with the win, while the Warriors fall to 1-2.

Brandeis got off to a great start, winning all three doubles matches by identical 8-6 scores to take a 3-0 lead. Sophomore Dylan Walters (Baltimore, Md. / Gilman School) earned the team's second point at #3 by winning the first set, 6-2, and seeing opponent Alec Mackay retired before the second set got underway. Merrimack got on the board at #1 singles as Jan Semerak handed senior Adam Tzeng (Eagle, Idaho/Eagle) his first defeat of the season, 6-4, 6-4. Brandeis clinched the victory at #6 singles when sophomore Aaron Basye (Mission Viejo, Calif. / Tesoro) knocked off Keita Duclos, 6-2, 6-1.

The Judges swept the final three matches of the day. At #5, junior Hunter Levine (Weston, Fla. / Cypress Bay) took a 6-4, 6-3 decision over Henrik Lindeman. First-year Colin Fox (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier) earned his first win of the season at #2, 7-5, 6-3, over Andre Singer. Senior Colt Tegtmeier (Madison, Wisc./Madison Memorial) closed out the victory with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 win over Valentin Riveros.

Brandeis returns to action next weekend at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III Indoor National Championships in Cleveland. The Judges will meet Trinity (Texas) in the first round.