REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Tennis team suffered their first loss of 2024 as they got edged 5-4 by No. 13 Babson College at the Verdieck Tennis Center Tuesday afternoon. 

The Bulldogs drop to 4-1, while the Beavers improve to 3-0. 

The decisive point came within doubles to start the match.  Babson went ahead 1-0 following an 8-3 win at No. 1 as Maegan Deng (Redondo Beach, CA) and Livi Rockwood (Park City, UT) would fall.  Redlands was able to level the match thanks to Christine O'Brien (Leawood, KS) and Kiana Brady (Hermosa Beach, CA) at No. 3 who rolled 8-4.  It then came down to the No. 2 team of Rayna Sugai (Las Vegas, NV) and Kaylin Kielty (Canyon Lake, CA) who grabbed a pair of breaks midway through the set only to give them back before falling in a tiebreaker 8-7 (4). 

In singles the middle of the lineup did the damage keeping UR in the match with Kielty steamrolling at No. 5 6-1, 6-0 followed by Sugai at No. 4 who won 6-2, 6-3.  Deja Brown (San Diego, CA) entered the singles lineup playing at No. 6 but could not gain any traction as she would fall 6-2, 6-2. 

The next two matches including the clinch would go to Babson with Deng falling 6-3, 6-4 at the top spot and Brady at No. 2 who would come back from a 6-1 opening set loss nearly forcing a third before falling 7-5.
 
L. Rockwood was the last match on at No. 3 and she gave the Maroon and Grey an exciting finish grinding out a 6-2, 7-6 (1) win giving the U of R their fourth point.           
 
The schedule does not get easier for the Bulldogs as they now turn towards a match-up with No. 7 Emory University on Friday, March 15 beginning at 12:00pm.