REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Tennis team had an early lead slip away Wednesday night as they would fall 4-3 to Haverford College inside the Verdieck Tennis Center.
The Bulldogs picked up the early point following doubles with
MJ Abarca (San Diego, CA) and
Cooper Whittington (Lake Oswego, OR) winning 6-2 at No. 2 followed by
Gustavo Marcanth (Redondo Beach, CA) and
Zac Nakajima (Beaverton, OR) breaking late to take their set 6-4 at No. 3. The last match on was unfinished with
Dominic Anderson (Brisbane, Australia) and
Jack Fanshawe (Brisbane, Australia) holding a 6-5 lead at the top spot.
Taking that point into singles the Bulldogs looked like they had the match in hand with Marcanth rolling 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 and
Vitomir Petcov (Portland. OR) taking his match with a pair of breaks at No. 3 6-4, 6-4 putting UR on top 3-0, needing one point to grab the win.
But that's as close as they would get as Haverford would rally with the next four points to complete the comeback. Anderson would fall at the top spot in a three-setter despite forcing a third set. He would fall 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
Jack Hinkle (Bountiful, Utah) faced the same decision falling in three sets as well. He dropped the opening frame 6-2 but fought back to take the second in a breaker 7-6 (5) before getting edged 6-4 in the third bringing Haverford within a point.
The match-tying point came at No. 6 as Whittington would also lose in a three-setter. He dropped the opening set 6-4 but would rally to take the second in a breaker 7-6 (1). But the third would go to Haverford as he again would play another breaker this time falling 7-6 (5).
Abarca was the last match on and he too would go the distance. He was edged in an opening breaker 7-6 (2) before taking the second set 6-3. The final set he would get broken late 6-4 allowing Haverford to come away with the road win.
Redlands was scheduled to also play Wabash College in a doubleheader but due to the weather was forced to postponed the match till Friday, March 14 with time to be determined.
