NORTON, Mass. (release courtesy Wheaton sports information) -- Sophomore Jiayi Zhang (Shanghai, China/ Shanghai International) was a double-winner to lead the Brandeis University women's tennis team in an 8-1 victory over host Wheaton College (Mass.) this afternoon at Beard Field House on the campus of Wheaton in Norton, Mass. The Judges improve to 2-4 on the season, while the Lyons fall to 2-3.

Brandeis began the match with a 2-0 lead before a serve was struck due to Wheaton needing to forfeit matches at third doubles and sixth singles due to illness and injury.

First-year Bhakti Parwani (Ahmedabad, India/Kumkum School) and Zhang combined for an easy 8-2 victory at number one doubles over the Wheaton duo of senior Miriam Galindo Cerrada and sophomore Mareike Mueller. The senior pair of Olivia Howe (Cary, N.C./Crossoroads Flex) and Summer Quinn (Los Angeles, Calif./Campbell Hall Episcopal) gave the Judges a 3-0 lead with an 8-4 win at second doubles over their host counterparts, senior Alexis Acosta and first-year Izzy Kruse. 

Brandeis did not drop a game at third and fifth singles. Zhang cruised over Mueller at number three to clinch the dual match for the Judges, while Quinn blanked Lyons' sophomore Zoe West at number five.

Howe dropped just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 win at fourth singles for Brandeis over Kruse, while first-year Cecilia Denis (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion) battled past Acosta at second singles with a 6-2, 6-4 decision. 

Galindo Cerrada came back to defeat senior Ana Hatfield (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Central Catholic) at number one singles after dropping the first set, 6-1. The senior forced the third frame after winning the middle set, 6-4, and outlasted Hatfield, 10-8, in the final set to give Wheaton their only point in the match.

Brandeis hosts crosstown rivals Bentley University on March 11 at 3:00 p.m.