Coming off its first place finish at its own indoor invitational over the weekend, the Brandywine tennis team hosted cross-town rival Niles, who was coming in off a second place finish at the St. Joe invitational.

In the first duel meet for each team, the bragging rights would have to be shared as the two teams split the day with each team winning two singles and two doubles flights and settled for a 4-4 draw.

In No. 1 singles, Brandywine’s Alyssa Robbins defeated Anna Flahaven in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2 while teammate Jessica Blank also won at No. 2 singles in straight sets, defeating Tori Woods 6-3, 6-2.

“My No. 1 singles (Flahaven) is going to be really good. Just coming in as a freshman, playing No. 1 singles is going to take a while to get things figured out, but she’s right in there and it’s not going to be a problem,” Niles coach Jill Webber said. “Tori Woods at two singles is a solid player and she is going to come along too. We just need more warm practice days.”

For Niles, No. 3 singles player Tearah Hutcheson defeated Taylor Mattiford in three sets 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, while teammate and No. 4 singles player Haley Linville won in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 over Brandywine’s Lauren Hopper.

In doubles play it was once again Brandywine’s No. 1 and No. 2 players who were victorious. The returning regional champions and No.1 doubles tandem of Lauren Leonard and Kelsey Prestly won easily over Taylor Glick and Haley Davis 6-1, 6-1.

“No. 1 doubles (Leonard and Prestly) is going to be the table setter this year,” said Brandywine coach Joe Marazita. “They were conference and regional champs last year at No. 1 doubles and no doubt they will be a good anchor for us.”

In No. 2 doubles, Lena Miles and Ashley DeJonge lifted the Bobcats over the Vikings’ Nichole Sly and Paxton Schaller, 6-4, 6-2.

For the Vikings, the No. 4 doubles team of Liz Rocha and Abby Mattson it took three sets, but they came away with the 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory.

The No. 3 doubles match ended up being the final and deciding flight. With all of the other flights already finished and Brandywine holding the 4-3 advantage, Michelle Briand and Allie Fuller defeated Rachel Gipson and Cassidy Purucker in the third and final set 6-4 to pull the two teams even at 4-4.

Fuller and Briand won the three sets, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4.

“It was a typical Niles versus Brandywine match. With bragging rights on the line the kids are always going to give 100 percent and it’s a good competition and that’s what we need before we begin our conference play tomorrow,” said Marazita.

Brandywine opens conference play today as it hosts Bridgman.

For Niles, it will travel to Edwardsburg on Thursday to face the Eddies in non-conference action.

“We have three girls on the team that have never played tennis before, so it comes down to hitting enough balls and we just haven’t had enough opportunities to hit enough balls. This is going to be a really good team, it is just going to take a little while to get there,” said Webber.