The No. 17 University of Redlands men's tennis team left it all
on the courts today but suffered split results during the 2010
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC)
Tournament in Claremont. After downing Whittier College by a score
of 5-2, the Bulldogs battled it out with No. 5 Cal Lutheran
University in the semifinal match. Despite junior Cameron
Spearman's (Laguna Niguel, CA) three-set victory against the
top-ranked singles player in the West Region, the Maroon and Gray
suffered a 3-6 loss to the Kingsmen.
Redlands now faces No. 23 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in the
third-place match on Saturday at 10 a.m. in Claremont.
During the first round against Whittier, the Bulldogs faced a
1-2 deficit after doubles. The No. 2 duo of senior Jeff Hammond
(Mercer Island, WA) and junior Keven Wong (Kaneohe, HI) dominated
their opponents by a score of 8-1. Redlands' two losses came at the
hands of tiebreakers.
However, the Maroon and Gray quickly responded with four
resounding wins in singles, leading to the 5-2 final tally.
Freshman Taylor Chaparro (Burlingame, CA) came away with an
impressive 6-0, 6-2 victory at the No. 4 spot, while Wong downed
his opponent at No. 6 by scores of 6-0, 6-1. Freshman Connor Hyde
(Peterborough, NH) kept it rolling with his 6-1, 6-3 performance at
the No. 5 slot, which was followed by Hammond's 6-2, 6-3 showing at
No. 3.
COMPLETE RESULTS
Taking to the courts for a second time on Friday, Redlands faced
off against No. 5 Cal Lutheran in the semifinal match. Again, the
No. 2 doubles duo of Hammond and Wong garnered the only point for
the Bulldogs, winning by a score of 8-6.
In singles, Redlands dropped the first two matches to go down
1-4 but Hyde rallied back to win at No. 6, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-4.
Spearman continued to give the Bulldogs hope with his inspiring
performance at the top spot, edging out No. 8 Andrew Giuffrida,
7-6(3), 3-6, 6-3, to hand him only his second singles loss of the
season.
However, this was all that the Maroon and Gray would muster as
Cal Lutheran clinched the match with a three-set victory at No. 5.
COMPLETE RESULTS
Redlands (14-11, 5-3 SCIAC) strives to rebound in tomorrow's
third-place match against No. 23 Pomona-Pitzer at 10 a.m. The
Bulldogs recently took down the Sagehens by a 6-3 tally.
