CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Brandeis University women's tennis team wrapped up its February break trip to California with its biggest challenge of the season against the top-ranked team in Division III, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The 19th-ranked Judges won a doubles match against the Athenas, but were not able to pick up any additional singles wins. Brandeis falls to 2-2 on the season while CMS improves to 5-0.
In doubles action, Brandeis picked up its win at #3, where senior Sophia He (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Spackenkill) and rookie Ana Hatfield (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Central Catholic) earned an 8-5 victory. The Judges' #1 team of senior Olivia Leavitt (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) and sophomore Lauren Bertsch (Middletown, R.I./LaSalle Academy) dropped their match to the top-ranked tandem in Division III, Caroline Cox and Catherine Allen, 8-4. CMS had the advantage after doubles with an 8-1 win at #2.
In singles action, the Athenas picked up a pair of 6-0, 6-0 wins at #1 and #4 to extend their lead to 4-1, then clinched the match with a 6-0, 6-2, win at #5. Brandeis's closest singles match was played by senior Keren Khromchenko (Manalapan, N.J./Academy of Allied Health and Sciences), who took the second set before falling in a super tiebreaker, 6-4, 3-6, 10-6.
The Judges are off until next Sunday, March 3, when they travel to Bates College for a 10 a.m. match.