From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics

The Carnegie Mellon University women's tennis team began the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship with a 8-1 win against No. 30 Brandeis University on Friday, April 22. The Tartans, ranked ninth nationally and the second seed for the tournament, are now 15-5 for the season.

The match scoring started with an 8-3 win at number three doubles by senior Abbey Hamstra (Wheatfield, Ind./Kankakee Valley) and junior Nicholle Torres(Weston, Fla./Great Neck South). Senior Brooke Tsu(Hillsborough, Calif./Burlingame) and freshman Jamie Vizelman (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield) then won 8-6 at second singles to give the Tartans a 2-0 advantage. The Judges earned the point at first singles when Haley Cohen and Olivia Leavitt topped sophomore Cori Sidell (Redwood Shores, Calif./Carlmont) and freshman Minami Makino (Whittier, Calif./Sunny Hills), 8-5.

Makino was the first to finish singles play, as she won 6-4, 6-1 at fifth singles. After a fight to win her first set, Vizelman swept through the second to win her fourth singles match 7-6, 6-0.

Tsu then pulled through and won her first singles match, 6-2, 7-5, to earn match point for the Tartans who have reached the semifinals of the tournament in each of the last 13 years.

Also recording victories for the day were Torres at second singles, 7-5, 7-5, while Sidell and freshman Marina Selenica (Birmingham, Mich./Detroit Country Day School) each won in three sets. Sidell won 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 at third singles while Selenica was victorious at sixth singles, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

The Tartans advance to face 12th-ranked Washington University in St. Louis on Saturday, April 23 at 2:00 pm in Altamonte Spring, Florida. The Tartans have topped the Bears in their last five UAA semifinal meetings dating back to 2008.