No. 29 MIT Rallies Past Brandeis, 5-4

April 22, 2009

By
Brandeis University Sports Information

WALTHAM, Mass. – The nationally-ranked No. 29 MIT women’s tennis team battled back from a 4-3 deficit to record a 5-4 victory over host Brandeis University on Tuesday. With the win, the Engineers improved to 12-6 on the season.

The Judges quickly established a 2-0 lead during doubles play. Mackenzie Gallegos and Rachel Rosman defeated Leslie Hansen and Anastasia Vishnevetsky, 8-5, in the top spot while Ariana Sanai and Emily Weisberger topped Melissa Diskin and Anisa McCree, 8-3 in the No. 3 position. Karina Pikhart and Yi Wang put MIT on the board with an 8-4 decision.

Hansen led off singles action with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory as Vishnevetsky put the Cardinal and Gray ahead by outlasting Gabrielle Helfgott, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. Sanai rallied to defeat Wang, 3-6, 6-0, 7-5, to even the match at three points. In the No. 4 position, Gallegos topped Diskin, 6-3, 6-2, while Pikhart defeated Nina Levine, 6-2, 6-2.

In the decisive No. 5 singles pairing, Weisberger registered a 6-1 score in the first set, but McCree took the second, 6-4. The third set started with four straight breaks of serve before Weisberger held to go up 3-2. She earned a break for a 4-2 lead, but McCree broke back and then held, tying the set at 4-4. After Weisberger claimed a 5-4 edge, she went up 0-40 to earn three match points. McCree battled back, using the momentum to win the next two games and, after holding off two attempts to break back, took the set, 7-5, and clinched the match for MIT.

MIT vs. Brandeis University
Final Team Score: MIT 5, Brandeis 4

Doubles
1. Gallegos/Rosman (BRWTEN) def. Leslie Hansen/Anastasia Vishnevetsky (MIT), 8-5
2. Karina Pikhart/Yi Wang (MIT) def. Helfgott/Levine (BRWTEN), 8-4
3. Sanai/Weisberger (BRWTEN) def. Melissa Diskin/Anisa McCree (MIT), 8-3

Singles
1. Leslie Hansen (MIT) def. Rachel Rosman (BRWTEN), 7-6 (5), 6-3
2. Anastasia Vishnevetsky (MIT) def. Gabrielle Helfgott (BRWTEN), 5-7, 6-4, 7-5
3. Ariana Sanai (BRWTEN) def. Yi Wang (MIT), 3-6, 6-0, 7-5
4. Mackenzie Gallegos (BRWTEN) def. Melissa Diskin (MIT), 6-3, 6-2
5. Anisa McCree (MIT) def. Emily Weisberger (BRWTEN), 1-6, 6-4, 7-5
6. Karina Pikhart (MIT) def. Nina Levine (BRWTEN), 6-2, 6-2