Although the men's tennis team's 9-0 loss last Saturday came against a Middlebury College team that coach Ben Lamanna said was the top Division III squad in New England, Lamanna did feel Steven Nieman's '11 second set against Middlebury senior Filip Marinkovic at No. 2 singles was praiseworthy. "Nieman showed a lot of heart and played a good match," Lamanna said. "We gave away a lot of points. We're going to win our points when we're real aggressive, and they're going to win theirs when they're aggressive and overwhelm us."

The Judges bounced back with a 9-0 sweep of Union College last Sunday, as they split their first two Division III matches after a 9-0 win over NAIA St. Thomas College Feb. 23 and a 9-0 loss to Division II Barry University Feb. 24.

Meanwhile, the women's squad defeated Smith College 8-1 last Sunday a day after a previous loss to Middlebury, 8-1.

Nieman eventually lost that match against Marinkovic 6-2, 6-4, but said he was happy with his performance.

"[Marinkovic's] got a big game, a big serve and is overall very experienced and has won a lot of big matches for them," Nieman said. "I had a lot of chances in the second set that I didn't convert on and he came out with big points."

The rest of the Judges' struggles against Middlebury began in doubles play, where Simon Miller '11 and Scott Schulman '09 had to face Marinkovic and sophomore Andrew Thomson, the Division III champion doubles pair from the fall season.

"We got overwhelmed by one of the best doubles teams in the country," Lamanna said. "It takes the wind out of you and it's tough to come back from that to then play in singles."

The women's team also lost at Middlebury Saturday, but got a strong performance from Colleen Donnelly '08 in defeat. Donnelly defeated Middlebury junior Elizabeth Emery 6-3, 6-3 in No. 2 singles to register the team's only win of the match.

"[Donnelly] has improved so much since last year," Lamanna said. "She went abroad her junior year and it took her a little while to bounce back in the fall and get into top shape, but she's playing really well right now."

At No. 1 singles, Rachel Rosman '11 came close to coming back in her singles match, but instead blew a 4-1 second set lead and fell to senior Clair Smyser 6-2, 7-5.

Despite their losses last Saturday afternoon, both teams rebounded last Sunday with victories.

In the women's team's victory over Smith, Brandeis was strong at the top of the lineup, as Rosman did not drop a game in her straight set win over rookie Diana Fiumefreddo. Donnelly also cruised to victory in her singles match, defeating Miyu Kikuchi 6-1, 6-2.

In the men's team's win over Union College, Nieman led the way, sweeping Union rookie Alex Katz 6-0, 6-0.

"I just stayed really focused," Nieman said, "[Lamanna] told me to make him play, and I never lost focus, and I didn't drop a game. So just battling hard and keeping my intensity up is good. I just stepped it up."

The men's team next plays Friday at home against Tufts University, and then both teams travel to Bates College Saturday.