REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Tennis team put together a battle Tuesday night inside the Verdieck Tennis Center having opportunities to threaten No. 2 Claremont-M-S, but would fall 6-1.

The Bulldogs nearly came away with the early doubles point after dropping two of three matches.  Maegan Deng (Redondo Beach, CA) and Deja Brown (San Diego, CA) grabbed the opening set 6-2 at the top spot putting UR up early.  CMS bounced back with a 6-3 win at No. 3 leveling things as Lindsey Whelan (Mercer Island, WA) and Vrishitha Kumar (Mumbai, India) would get edged.  The decisive set came at No. 2 from Christine O'Brien (Leawood, KS) and Kiana Brady (Hermosa Beach, CA) who found themselves up a break 6-5 and 30-Love, but they failed to secure the win as they would allow the Athenas back into the match eventually falling in a breaker 7-6 (2). 

In singles three of six matches went the distance with the Bulldogs only picking up one point out of them.  Brown was unable to pick up a game in her match at No. 3 falling 6-0, 6-0 giving CMS their second point and Kumar would drop 6-1, 6-0 at No. 6 seeing the Athenas extend their lead to 3-0.  The clinch came at No. 2 as Brady would fall 6-3, 6-1 allowing CMS to claim the road win. 

But the Bulldogs continued to battle with the last three matches on.  O'Brien put together another strong singles match fighting from a set down to extend things.  She lost 6-2 and then swung the momentum 6-2 in the second before falling 6-1 in the third.  Whelan found herself down early 6-1 after the opening set but managed to take the second set 7-5 before getting beat in a breaker 10-4. 

Deng secured the lone point for the Maroon and Grey coming at the top spot as she too found herself down a set, at 6-2.  She grabbed the second frame 6-2 and carried that momentum into the third where she won 6-2 putting UR on the scoreboard.         

Redlands returns to the courts this Saturday, April 5 when they travel to Orange to take on No. 31 Chapman University beginning at 1:00pm.