WALTHAM, MA – The University of Rochester women's tennis team dropped a 6-1 decision to a top-30 team in Brandeis University on Saturday afternoon at the Cordish Tennis Center.
Senior
Neha Dania was the lone winner on the day for the Yellowjackets (7-8), earning a point at sixth singles. She earned a gritty three-set victory, defeating Brandeis' Galia Harmelin 6-4, 2-6 and 10-2.
The Judges (9-6), ranked #28 in the latest Division III poll, got things started early by securing the doubles team point in dominant fashion. The host team won all three matches, with UR's
Lilly Caldwell and
Esther Wang finishing the closest at third doubles, falling to Avani Chitale and Chahana Budhbhatti by a 6-3 score.
In singles, Milana Sofizade topped Caldwell at five for the 2-0 Judges lead, with the number three player, Chitale extending the margin with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over
Lauren Kallas.
Regionally-ranked player, Mandy Reyes, earned the clinching victory at number one for Brandeis, topping
Katie Yang in straight sets to put the Judges up 4-0.
Budhbhatti followed with a 6-3, 6-1 win at number two to keep the shutout going before Dania broke the string of Judges wins with her victory at sixth singles.
The final match on the court was another three-set affair at fourth singles. In that one, Nancy Zhang won the opening set 6-3, before
Hailey Kornbluth battled back to take a tiebreak 7-6 (5) second set. In the third, Zhang edged out a 10-5 win, securing the final point of the day for Brandeis.
URochester returns to action next weekend with a pair of home matches to close out the regular season. The 'Jackets host Vassar next Friday afternoon and SUNY Geneseo a day later before traveling to Florida the following week to compete in the UAA Championships.
