There was very little difference in strategy between the men's tennis team and Tufts University's team Sunday. But when the points mattered most, Tufts consistently found a way to win them.Spurred by several singles victories, which they clinched in the third and deciding set, the Jumbos defeated the Judges 5-2 in Medford Sunday, snapping Brandeis' two-match winning streak. The loss followed a 7-2 road victory over Wheaton College Tuesday. The Judges are now 3-3 in the spring season.

The women's team, which stands at 1-2 this spring, had the week off.

Mike Vulfovich '07, Adam Sher '07 and Jordan Bieber '07 all split the first two sets against their opponents at No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4 singles, but they all fell in the third set.

Despite the losses, Sher said the experience of losing tight matches will serve the team well in the future.

"You need a tough match like that, so when we play the good teams, we'll be able to draw from this experience," he said.

After gaining an advantage in doubles during their last two victories, the Judges dropped two of three doubles matches Sunday. Sher and Bieber fell to senior Matt Gallin and sophomore William Fleder 8-3 at No. 2 doubles, and the team of Derek Tesser '09 and Scott Schulman '09 at No. 3 doubles lost 9-7 to senior Corey Keller and rookie Jon Trott.

"We battled fine, but I don't think we prepared well," coach Ben Lamanna said.

"It just didn't feel like we were ready, and [the Jumbos] were tougher than us."

Vulfovich won the first set of his singles match against Fleder but dropped the final two sets, losing 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-4. Vulfovich struggled with Fleder's serve and was put on the defensive during many points.

"I was guessing on where [Fleder] was serving to, and after a while, it just got to the point where I was guessing on a lot of his shots," Vulfovich said. "Instead of being aggressive, I played very tentative."

Sher and Bieber each won the second set before succumbing in the third. Sher rallied from a 4-1 deficit to win in a tiebreaker but then ran out of gas, losing to Jumbo senior Sean McCooey 7-5, 6-7, (5) 6-2.

Bieber split the first eight games in the third set against Gallin, but Gallin hit a couple of key passing shots to get a break and then closed out a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory on his serve.

Both of the Judges' victories came in decisively. Vulfovich teamed with Sam Jonas '07 to defeat McCooey and senior Geoff Loh 8-1 at No. 1 doubles, and Jonas beat Keller 6-4, 7-6 (2) at No. 2 singles.

The Judges were on the other side of the tight matches during their victory over Wheaton College Tuesday, winning two singles matches in the third set and one doubles match in a tiebreaker.

"[The result] was 7-2, but it could have easily been 9-0," Lamanna said.

"We really played great in that match."

Brandeis swept the first seven matches, winning in each doubles spot and at No. 1, No. 2, No. 4 and No. 5 singles.

The No. 1 doubles team of Vulfovich and Jonas squeaked by seniors Payum Payman and Brad Dressler 9-8 (4), while Vulfovich defeated Payman 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 singles. Cliff Silverman '07 picked up the other three-set victory, defeating senior Raymour Radhakrishnan 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4).

The Judges play three matches this week, starting with Babson College at home Tuesday at 3 p.m., then has two road matches, facing Case Western Reserve University Friday at 12:30 p.m. and the University of Rochester Sunday at 7:30 p.m.