WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's tennis team could not overcome a pre-match deficit, as the Judges, down to five players, won four of seven individual matches but fell in a marathon match to visiting NYU, 5-4, indoors in the Gosman Athletic Center.
TEAM RECORDS
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The teams split the two doubles matches, giving NYU a 2-1 lead. Brandeis first-years Huasen Dong (Richmond Hill, Ont./Richmond Green Second School) and Harrison Huai (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) opened the scoring with an 8-5 win at #2.
- NYU answered with a late break of serve at #1, giving Alexander Lee and Boren Zheng – ranked eighth in the Northeast region – an 8-6 win over Brandeis senior Dylan Walters (Baltimore, Md./Gilman School) and first-year Pierce Garbett (Coral Gables, Fla./Gulliver Prep).
- The Judges went back on top by sweeping the first flight of singles matches. Walters avenged his doubles loss with a 6-4, 7-5 win at #1 singles. Walters is ranked #6 in the Northeast in the recent ITA rankings.
- Dong won by a similar score at #2, 7-5, 6-4, to tie the match at 3-3.
- Garbett had a terrific rally at #3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1, to give Brandeis a 4-3 lead.
- NYU's Zahcary Freier knocked of Huai, 6-4, 6-4, at #5, to force a decisive match at #4.
- Brandeis senior Aaron Basye (Mission Viejo, Calif./Tesoro) jumped out to a 6-4 lead after one set, but NYU's Rumaish Khastgir bounced back with a 6-3 win in the second. Khastgir picked up an early break in the third set and held on, 6-4, to give the Violets the team victory.
SENIOR DAY
- Earlier in the day, Brandeis honored their two seniors Dylan Walters and Aaron Basye, who were playing their final home weekend matches of their careers.
UP NEXT
- The Judges are back in action on Wednesday, April 10, at 3:30 p.m. against the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
