SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Brandeis University men's tennis team got wins from the top of its lineup, but the Judges opened their spring 2025 season with a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Division I Bryant University.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 0-1.
• Bryant, 1-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• With all of college tennis switching to a one-point doubles system this year, the Judges got a win at #1, but the Bulldogs prevailed, 6-3 and 6-2 at #2 and #3 to earn the point.
• Grad student and All-American Dylan Walters (Baltimore, Md./Gilman School) and first-year Daniel Shemesh (Modiin, Israel/Ironi Hei School Modiin) picked up a 7-5 win at the top spot.
• Brandeis sophomore Huasen Dong (Richmond Hill, Ont./Richmond Green Second School) played valiantly through the flu in his doubles match, but was unable to go in singles, giving Bryant a 2-0 lead.
• The hosts won at #2 and #5 in straight sets, both by scores of 6-2, 6-2, to clinch the win.
• The final three matches all went three sets. Shemesh battled but fell, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, in his match at #3.
• The Judges needed a pair of tiebreakers to earn their points at #1 and #4. Walters claimed the victory at the top spot, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 7-5.
• At #4, first-year Aidan Wang-Fan (Richmond Hill, Ont./Bill Crothers Secondary School) clamed a 3-6, 7-6 (11-9), 7-5 victory in a marathon match.

UP NEXT

• The Judges will return to action in two weeks when they head to California for their annual February Break trip, which they will open up on Feb. 16 against #2-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.\