REDLANDS, Calif. – The Brandeis University tennis teams fell to a pair of higher-ranked opponents from the University of Redlands today on their annual trip to California. The 25th-ranked women nearly knocked off the #19 Bulldogs but fell, 5-4. The #31 Judge men suffered a 7-2 defeat at the hands of #21 UR.
For the women, the top of the Brandeis lineup took care of business. Senior Carley Cooke (San Diego, Calif./Point Loma) and rookie Haley Cohen (Cherry Hills, N.J./Laurel Springs) were responsible for three of the team's four points. They combined for an 8-6 win at No. 1 doubles. Cooke then rolled over Redlands' Natalie Etchegaray, 6-1, 6-1, at the top singles spot. Cohen had a tougher time against UR's Ceara Sumida, but prevailed, 7-5, 6-3. Senior Simone Vandroff (Moss Beach, Calif./Half Moon Bay) earned the team's final point in a third-set super-tiebreaker, 6-3, 1-6, 10-8.
Unfortunately for the Judges, second and third doubles and the bottom three slots on the singles ladder were unable to pick up a clinching win.
The Judges fall to 1-2 with the loss, while the Bulldogs improve to 2-0.
On the men's side, Brandeis's two wins came in the middle of the order. In doubles action, sophomores Michael Arguello (Brentwood, Tenn./Brentwood) and Jeff Cherkin (Melville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) were 8-5 winners at No. 2. In singles play, senior Alec Siegel (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) improved to 3-0 overall and won his first match of the season at No. 4 by bouncing back from a sluggish start, 0-6, 6-4, 10-7, in a super-tiebreaker in the third set.
The Judges fall to 2-2 on the campaign, while the Bulldogs improve to 4-3.
Brandeis wraps up its California swing tomorrow, when the women take on #19 La Verne and the men face second-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.