REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Tennis team opened up their 2025 season Tuesday night grinding out a 4-3 win over Brandeis University.

The Bulldogs found themselves down 1-0 following doubles as the Judges took two of three.  The lone win came at No. 3 from Zac Nakajima (Beaverton, OR) and Gustavo Marcanth (Redondo Beach, CA) who rolled 6-2.  The other two matches were tight with MJ Abarca (San Diego, CA) and Cooper Whittington (Lake Oswego, OR) getting edged 7-5 at No. 2 and then Jack Fanshawe (Brisbane, Australia) and Dominic Anderson (Brisbane, Australia) falling in a tiebreaker 7-6.

It was a complete shift in singles where the points fell for the Maroon and Grey taking four of six matches as they came from behind.  Vitomir Petcov (Portland, OR) picked up the first point for the Bulldogs at No. 3 winning 6-3, 6-2.  Brandeis went back in front 2-1 after a win at No. 4 as Abarca would fall in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.  After that it was all Redlands with Jack Hinkle (Bountiful, Utah) taking a point at No. 6 pulling out a 7-5, 6-3 win. 

This momentum carried over into Anderson at No. 1 who pulled out a 7-5, 6-3 win picking up the third point for the U of R.  The clinch came at No. 5 from Josh Davydov (Bellevue, WA) who grinded out a tough 7-6 (4) 6-4 decision giving the Bulldogs the home victory.  The last match on was Marcanth at No. 2 who went three sets coming from a set down to force a third before falling 4-6, 6-2, 4-6.     

"The men really had to earn it tonight," Head Coach Mike Longanecker stated.  "Brandeis came out strong in doubles picking up that early point and we knew singles was going to be just as competitive.  The exhibitions we played early on really helped the players leading up to this match and those helped prepare them to dig in and grind out that first win of the season."    

Redlands returns to the court on March 5 when they host No. 26 University of Mary Washington beginning at 12:00pm.