REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Tennis team had a busy week playing four matches in five days, which included a pair of wins over No. 27 Babson College and Whitman College.  The lone loss across their last three matches came against No. 3 Middlebury College.

Redlands has now moved to 5-4, 1-1 SCIAC and currently rank No. 28 in the ITA Division III National Polls. 

No. 27 Babson College (W, 5-4)
Redlands jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after a dominant performance in doubles.  MJ Abarca (Chula Vista, CA) and Jax Ledwith (West Linn, OR) got off the court quickly winning 8-2 at No. 2.  Dominic Anderson (Brisbane, Australia) and Jack Fanshawe (Brisbane, Australia) were not far behind at No. 3 giving UR their second point 8-3.  The test came at No. 1 with Nico Calixto (Cathedral City, CA) and Yoav Nir (Tel Aviv, Israel) giving up five games, but they would come out on top winning 8-5 putting the Beavers in an early hole.

Babson put together a great comeback taking four of six matches, but they would come up short.  They grabbed points at No. 5 and No. 2 to pull within one.  Ledwith would get broken in each set 6-3, 6-3 and Nir would total only four games in a 6-3, 6-1 loss at No. 2. 

Anderson stopped the run at No. 3 with a solid 6-2, 6-3 performance moving the score to 4-2 and Calixto grabbed the clinch at No. 1 despite being pushed winning 7-6 (5), 6-4.  Cooper Whittington got off to a strong start at No. 6 taking the opening set 6-4, but could not keep the momentum falling 6-1, 6-2.  The last match on was Gustavo Marcanth (Redondo Beach, CA) at No. 4 who also went the distance after taking the opening set 6-2.  The next two he would drop 7-5, 11-9 in a heartbreaker allowing Babson to pick up their fourth point.        

Whitman College (W, 7-0)
The Blues put up an early test with the Bulldogs threatening in doubles, but the U of R were able to pick up two of three victories giving them a 1-0 lead heading into singles.

Anderson and Fanshawe continued their impressive season together at No. 3 doubles grabbing an early win for the Bulldogs 6-4.  Abarca and Ledwith tried to give UR another point but would get broken late allowing Whitman to tie the match up.  The decisive point coming down to the top spot where Calixto and Nir needed a breaker 7-6 (4) to give Redlands the advantage.

It was a clean sweep in singles with five of the six matches taking place in straight sets.  Anderson picked up the first point at No. 3 winning 6-4, 6-3, Calixto grabbed the third at No. 1 6-2, 7-5 and Whittington collecting the clinch at No. 5 taking it 6-3, 6-3.  Other matches on included Marcanth at No. 4 winning 7-5, 6-2 and Nir at No. 2 grinding out a 6-2, 7-5 decision.  The last match on came at No. 6 with Ledwith pulling out a three-setter coming from a set down to win 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 making the final score 7-0.       

No. 3 Middlebury College (L, 8-1)
Wrapping up the week the Bulldogs had a tough test with the No. 3 ranked Panthers.  The lone win on the afternoon came from the No. 1 doubles team of Calixto and Nir who would pull out an 8-6 win over Robby Ward and Neel Epstein.  Abarca and Ledwith would fall 8-1 at No. 2 and Anderson and Fanshawe would pick up a rare loss at No. 3 8-5.

In singles the Bulldogs had a couple matches go the distance, but could not gain any momentum as they would get swept.  Anderson at No. 3 got off to a great start winning 6-1, but could not hold on as he would fall 7-6 (4), 11-9. The other three-setter would come at No. 4 with Marcanth also taking the opening set 6-4 before falling 6-1, 6-1. 

Calixto put together a strong effort at No. 1 giving up a break in each set despite going up against a tough opponent in Noah Laber dropping 6-4, 6-4.  Nir dropped in straights at No. 2 6-1, 6-4, Ledwith lost 6-0, 6-1 at No. 6 and Whittington after getting blanked in the first set would gain four games in the second losing 6-0, 6-4.        

Redlands returns to the Verdieck Tennis Center to host No. 6 Bowdoin College on Tuesday, March 19 beginning at 5:00pm.