ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – The 14th-ranked Brandeis University rolled past #33 Case Western Reserve today in the quarterfinals of the University Athletic Association tournament at Sanlando Park in Florida. With their 5-0 win, the Judges move on to the tournament's championship semifinals for the first time since 2004 as they improve to 12-5 on the season. The Spartans fall to 7-10.
Brandeis opened with a convincing doubles sweep. Senior Keren Khromchenko (Manalapan, N.J./Academy of Allied Health and Science) and junior Diana Dehterevich (Minsk, Belarus/Secondary School #185 of Minsk) rolled to an 8-1 win at #2 doubles. At the top spot, senior Olivia Leavitt (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) and sophomore Lauren Bertsch (Middletown, R.I./LaSalle Academy) earned an 8-5 win. Senior Sophia He (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Spackenkill) and rookie Ana Hatfield (Rockford, Ill. / Boylan Central Catholic) completed the sweep, 8-1.
In singles action, Leavitt picked up a double-bagel at #2 to push the Judges within one point of victory while Bertsch closed out the win at #4, 6-0, 6-4. The Judges had won first sets in three of the remaining four matches as well.
This match was a rematch of last year's fifth-place match at the UAA tournament, which CWRU won, 7-2.
Brandeis, the 2019 tournament's second seed, will take on third-seeded and 12th-ranked Chicago tomorrow at 12:30 in the tournament semifinals.