ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. -- In quarterfinal match at the 2013 University Athletic Association tournament in Altamonte Springs, Fla., the sixth-seeded Brandeis University women's tennis team pushed third-seeded Washington University to the final match, but the Bears prevailed, 5-4, to advance to the winner's bracket. The Judges, ranked 24th nationally, fall to 8-9 on the season and will face the University of Rochester in tomorrow's consolation semifinals, while WashU improves to 14-5 and will take on Carnegie Mellon tomorrow in the championship semis.

Brandeis jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles action. Sophomore Carley Cooke (San Diego, Calif./Point Loma) and senior  Faith Broderick (Washingtonville, N.Y./Washingtonville) took an 8-2 decision at first doubles, while juniors Ally Bernstein (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) and Marissa Lazar (Hewlett, N.Y./Lynbrook) were 8-3 victors at No. 3. The Judges nearly swept doubles action, but the Bears' No. 2 squad of These Petraskova and Jamie Silverberg rallied from down 7-6 to win the final three games of the match to win, 9-7, over Brandeis's Simone Vandroff (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Moss Valley) and Roberta Bergstein (Hingham, Mass./Hingham). 

In singles action, the Bears got off to a fast start, winning in straight sets at No. 3, 4 and 5, to take a 4-2 lead. The top of Brandeis's lineup got them back in the contest, however, with Cooke edging Petraskova in straight sets, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, and Broderick rallying from a set down to defeat Silverberg, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1. 

The match was then decided at No. 6 singles. Washington's Corinne Rauck won the first set, 6-4, while Brandeis rookie Maya Vasser (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) took the second with a late break, 7-5. In the third set, Rauck did not let up, winning 6-0, to clinch a second-straight 5-4 win over the Judges in the UAA quarters. 

Brandeis University Women's Tennis
Brandeis vs Washington U. (Apr 25, 2013)

#10 Washington U. 5, #24 Brandeis 4
Apr 25, 2013 at Altamonte Springs, Fla.