CAMBRIDGE, Mass. --The 28th-ranked Brandeis women's tennis team rallied from a 2-1 deficit in after doubles action to defeat host MIT, 5-4, thanks to some impressive wins at the bottom of the lineup.
The Engineers (5-10) jumped out to the lead thanks to wins in the top two doubles spots, but Brandeis (7-7) senior Ariana Sanai (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) and sophomore Nina Levine (Wesport, Conn./Staples) took an 8-5 decision at No. 3 to prevent the MIT sweep.
In singles play, junior Rachel Rosman (Bonita Springs, Fla./Estero) suffered a rare loss in the first spot, 2-6, 4-6, to MIT's Leslie Hansen, the No. 4 ranked player in New England. Rookie Faith Broderick (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville) won a tight contest at No. 2, 7-5, 6-4, while Sanai could not hold off her opponent at third singles, as MIT's Bianca Dumitrascu rallied for a 1-6, 7-6, 7-5, victory.
The Judges showed their depth at the bottom of the line-up with three relatively easy wins. Junior Mackenzie Gallegos (Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood) has the shortest match of singles play at No. 4, 6-1, 6-1, while Levine earned a 6-3, 6-1 triumph at No. 5. Sophomore Sarah Richman (Sewickly, Pa./Quaker Valley) rounded out the victory at sixth singles with a 6-1, 6-4 win.
Brandeis returns to action on Sunday when they take on Connecticut College at 1 p.m., while the Engineers are off for 11 days before they travel to Skidmore College.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
at Cambridge, Mass.
Brandeis 5, MIT 4
Singles
1. Leslie Hansen (MIT) def. Rachel Rosman (BR); 6-2, 6-4
2. Faith Broderick (BR) def. Anastasia Vishnevetsky (MIT); 7-5,
6-4
3. Bianca Dumitrascu (MIT) def. Ariana Sanai (BR); 1-6, 7-6,
7-5
4. Mackenzie Gallegos (BR) def. Melissa Diskin (MIT); 6-1, 6-1
5. Nina Levine (BR) def. Hillary Jenny (MIT); 6-3, 6-1
6. Sarah Richman (BR) def. Jenny Dohlman (MIT); 6-1, 6-4
Doubles
1. L. Hansen/A. Vishnevetsky (MIT) def. F. Broderick/R. Rosman
(BR); 8-4
2. M. Diskin/B. Dumitrascu (MIT) def. M. Gallegos/S. Richman (BR);
8-6
3. A. Sanai/N. Levine (BR) def. J. Dohlman/J. Hall (MIT); 8-5