WALTHAM, Mass. -- The Brandeis women's tennis team suffered an 8-1 defeat to Tufts University in a battle of nationally-ranked squads today. The Judges fall to 6-3 with the loss, while the Jumbos improve to 5-2. 

The match started indoors with doubles. Brandeis got its only point at No. 2, where rookie Lauren Bertsch (Middletown, R.I. / LaSalle Academy) and junior Michele Lehat (Great Neck, N.Y./John L. Miller Great Neck North) were 8-6 victors to even the match at 1-1. The Jumbos emerged victorious at No. 1, 8-5, as the team of Otillia Papa and Mina Karamercan upended Brandeis senior Haley Cohen (Cherry Hill, N.J./Laurel Springs Prep) and junior Olivia Leavitt (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth). 

In singles action, Tufts earned straight-set wins at Nos. 1, 2 and 6, to clinch the win. Bertsch and Leavitt had the most competitive singles matches for Brandeis in the middle of the lineup. At No. 3, Leavitt played the only three-set match, falling to Lauren Louks, 4-6, 6-4, 3-10. At No. 4, Bertsch extended Tomo Iwasaki to a tiebreaker in the first set before falling, 6-7 (6-8), 2-6. 

Brandeis returns to action on Thursday against Division II Stonehill in advance of a match next Saturday at NYU in a key showdown for seeding at the University Athletic Association tournament.