NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The 23^rd-ranked Brandeis women's tennis team kicked off the spring portion of their schedule today with a match on the road at Smith College, earning a 6-1 victory over the Bears.

TEAM RECORDS

• Brandeis, 1-0, ranked #23 in Division III by Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
• Smith, 0-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Judges took a 1-0 lead by winning two of three doubles matches. After senior Rebecca Suarez (New York, N.Y. / International Virtual Learning Academy) and junior Mandy Reyes (Manila, Philippines / Laurel Springs School) blitzed their opponents, 6-0, at the top spot, Smith bounced back with a 6-4 win at #2.
• In the decisive #3 match, junior Chahana Budhbhatti (Ahmedabad, India / Aavishkar School) and first-year Avani Chitale (Ahmedabad, India / Cosmos Castle International School) jumped out to a 5-0 lead, only to see their opponents answer with five straight wins to tie things up. The Judge duo were able to hang on with a late break of serve to take the match, 7-5, and earn the doubles point.
• The first four singles matches each featured at least one set that needed a seven-game win, but the Judges prevailed in three of them.
• Senior Nancy Zhang (Shanghai, China / Shanghai International Division) earned the team's second point with a 7-6, 6-2, win at #4, and Budhbhatti got the third with a 6-1, 7-6, win at #3.
• The Bears got their lone point at #1 with a three-set win, but Reyes clinched things with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 win at #2.
• Chitale and junior Charly Saltz (Los Angeles, Calif. / Learning Post Academy) rolled to their wins at #5 and #6, respectively, winning 6-2, 6-2, and 6-1, 6-1.

UP NEXT

• The Judges are back in action tomorrow afternoon at Wheaton College for a 2 p.m. first serve.