MANCHESTER, Conn. – The Brandeis University women's tennis team's historic season came to a close today in the regional finals of the NCAA Division III tournament, as the Judges suffered a 5-1 defeat at the hands of regional host Wesleyan University. The Judges conclude their season and their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance with a 14-8 record. Wesleyan advances to the national quarterfinals with a 17-2 record.

The Judges and Cardinals played three tight doubles matches, but the hosts came out on top in all three. The closest of the three doubles matches was the first one done, as Brandeis's Sophia He (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Spackenkill) and Ana Hatfield (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Central Catholic) took Wesleyan's Alexis Almy and Alissa Nakimoto to a tiebreaker before falling, 8-7 (7-3) at the #3 spot. The top two doubles matches were each decided by 8-5 scores, with Brandeis senior Olivia Leavitt (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) and sophomore Lauren Bertsch (Middletown, R.I./LaSalle Academy) falling to Cardinal sisters Victoria and Kristina Yu at the #1 position. At #2, it was junior Diana Dehterevich (Minsk, Belarus/Secondary School #185 of Minsk) and senior Keren Khromchenko (Manalapan, N.J./Academy of Allied Health and Science) falling to Vevia Yeung and Polina Kiseleva.

In singles action, Brandeis got on the board at #5 when Almy had to withdraw early in her match with Hatfield because of injury. The Cardinals finished the match in the lower half of the ladder, with Kiseleva topping Bertsch, 6-2, 6-2, at #4, and Nakamoto defeating He, 6-2, 6-1, at #6. The Judges lone set win came at #1, where Dehterevich was up, 6-4, 0-1, on Victoria Yu when the match ended.

Brandeis will return three of their top five singles players and three of their six doubles players for next year's squad.