The Brandeis University tennis teams had a busy weekend on the court, showcasing their grit and determination. The men’s team picked up a decisive win against Nichols College, while the women’s team was narrowly defeated by their ranked rivals, Babson College. 

The men’s tennis team won their third consecutive victory. They are on the road to improve their season record to 3-3 after defeating Nichols College 6-1. The Judges clinched the match early on with a dominant performance across the singles and doubles courts.

Doubles Play

On the doubles side, Brandeis experienced a strong start, winning the first of two matches. The number one doubles team of Dylan Walters MA ’25 and Daniel Shemesh ’28 secured a 6-2 win.

Singles Action

Brandeis extended their advantage in their singles matches with straight-set wins in the top three positions. Walters was first to finish, securing a 6-3, 6-4 victory in the number one spot. Walters’ win was followed by an outstanding performance from Shemesh ’28, who cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory at number two singles. 

The clinching point came from Pierce Garbett ’27, who battled through a tight first set, ultimately winning a tiebreaker 7-4, then closed out the match 6-3 in the second set. This performance was a testament to the mental toughness present throughout this team. 

Huasen Dong ’27 also made his mark, winning 6-3, 6-0 at the number five position to extend the Judges’ lead to 5-0. 

The only point for Nichols came at number four singles, where Benjamin Kotzen ’28 went down 6-1, 6-3. However, Kotzen also played number six singles, securing a hard-fought 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 10-2 victory to give Brandeis the 6-1 win.

 Next, Brandeis will face its rival, New York University, on Sunday, March 16, at 1 p.m. 

The 25th-ranked Brandeis women’s tennis team faced off against number 17 Babson College in their home opener at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Despite the Judges’ best efforts, the Beavers ultimately clinched a tight 4-3 win.

Doubles Play

Brandeis started the match on a strong note in doubles action. The Judges’ number three doubles team, composed of Cecilia Denis ’25 and Anastasia Sia ’25, came out on top with a 6-2 victory. However, when moving to the other doubles courts, the team struggled. 

At number one doubles, Babson’s top duo, Olivia Soffer ’25 and Matia Cristiani ’26, the reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III champions, faced off against Brandeis' Bhakti Parwani ’25 and Rebecca Suarez ’26. The match was close, with serving playing a key role early in the set. Ultimately, Babson’s Soffer and Cristiani took the game 6-4. 

At number two doubles, Chahana Budhbhatti ’27 and Nancy Zhang ’26 were also involved in a tight contest. After a back-and-forth battle, the sisters of Babson's top duo, Chaniel Soffer ‘27 and Alessandra Cristiani ‘28, managed to pull off the win in the final games, winning 7-5 to give the Beavers a 1-0 lead as singles play began.

Singles Action

In singles action, Parwani fell 6-2, 6-1 to Babson’s Matia Cristiani, but Brandeis wasn’t ready to give up. At the number one position, Suarez won in a close 7-5, 6-4 match. This victory cut the Beavers’ lead to 2-1. 

Next, Zhang fell 6-3, 6-0 at the #4 singles position, putting Babson within one point of victory. To extend the match, Sia delivered a dominant 6-3, 6-1 win at number five singles to put Babson ahead by just one game, at 3-2 for the day. 

The deciding match of the day came at #3 singles, where Brandeis’ Budhbhatti faced off against Babson’s Chaniel Soffer in two long matches that lasted nearly three hours. Budhbhatti kept fighting after losing the first set in a tiebreaker, returning to win the second set 6-4. In the third set, Soffer clinched the victory for Babson with a 7-6 (7-0), 4-6, 6-2 win. 

Brandeis’ Charly Saltz ’28 earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at number six singles, but by then, the result had already been decided, with Babson securing a 4-3 victory. 

The Brandeis women’s team will travel to Colby College next Sunday, March 16, for a 2 p.m. match.

Both Brandeis tennis teams showcased tremendous talent and determination in their recent matches, with the men’s team earning a solid victory and the women’s team falling just short against Babson College. Both teams look to use this momentum next weekend in their next matches.