CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Brandeis University women's tennis duo of junior Mandy Reyes of Manila, Philippines, and senior Rebecca Suarez of New York, New York, won their opening round match at the 2026 NCAA Division III Doubles Tournament today, 6-4, 6-2, earning All-America status in the process. The tournament is being held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, hosted by Sewanee, the University of the South.
 
Suarez and Reyes faced Kendal Chang and Kylie Schaefer of Christopher Newport University in their opening-round match. The teams stayed on serve through the first four games of the match, though Brandeis was able to force CNU to deuce in their first two service games. Brandeis broke through in the fifth game, winning at 40-30 to take a 3-2 lead. Reyes held at 40-15 to consolidate to a 4-2 lead. Christopher Newport held on a deuce point, then picked up a break at deuce to even the match back up at 40-all. The Judges bounced back with a break of their own at 15, and then Reyes served for the set. She went up 40-love before the Captains won three in a row to force the fifth deuce game of the set. Brandeis won the point, taking the opening set, 6-4.
 
The first three games of the second set were all breaks, with Brandeis taking a 2-1 lead. Reyes then held at love to get to 3-1. After the Captains won the next game, Suarez also held at love, giving the Judges eight straight points on their own serve. The Judges picked up a second break, then Reyes served out the match, rallying from a love-30 deficit by winning the final four points of the match.
 
The Judges won 66 percent of their points on serve, getting 74 percent of their first serves in, compared to 44 percent and 54 percent for Christopher Newport. Brandeis also converted five-of-11 break points, compared to two-of-four for their opponents.
 
With the win, Reyes and Suarez earn the first victory for a Brandeis women's team at the NCAA Division III Doubles tournament. They join Carley Cooke '15 and Faith Broderick '13 as the only doubles All-Americans in women's tennis history. This was Suarez's first win in her third trip to the NCAA tournament, her first win Reyes as a partner.
 
Reyes and Suarez will meet the top-seeded duo of Matia Cristiani and Alessandra Sikharulidze of rivals Babson in tomorrow's tournament quarterfinals. Cristiani is the two-time defending doubles champion, though this is her first time playing with Sikharulidze. The time will be announced tomorrow.