REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Tennis team was just points away from taking down No. 7 Bowdoin College, Monday evening falling 4-3 inside the Verdieck Tennis Center.

The Bulldogs put together an early test for the Polar Bears in doubles taking two of three matches, both coming in tiebreakers.  Bowdoin got up early after taking the win at No. 2 as Samuel Parsons (Leamington Spa, England) and Cooper Whittington (Lake Oswego, OR) would get edged 6-4.  But it would be the other two courts that carried the Maroon and Grey.  Jack Hinkle (Bountiful, UT) and Tyler Pyle (Lake Oswego, OR) at No. 3 and Vitomir Petcov (Portland, OR) and Marlon Abarca (San Diego, CA) at No.1 both went the distance and came out victorious 7-6, which put UR up early 1-0, while giving their team momentum heading into singles.   

The Polar Bears did not go away quietly however taking the next three points to get them within a point of the clinch.  Abarca at No. 3 fell 6-1, 6-2 and Whittington on No. 5 would fall 6-1, 6-1. Hinkle at No. 4 nearly made a comeback in his second set, but would lose that tie break, falling 6-3, 7-6.

The last three Bulldogs on court were not intimidated by this pressure and rose to the occasion. William Pullin (Peachtree City, GA) at number six put up a solid fight to add a point for Redlands, winning 6-2, 7-6. Gustavo Marcanth (Redondo Beach, CA) on Court 2 came back from a first set loss 7-5 to take the next two 6-4, 6-1, which leveled the match at 3-3. 

The deciding point came down to Petcov at No. 1. Nearly three hours later the match would come down to split sets, a few match points on the racquet of Petcov, and two teams heavily animated at the half court line.  In the end Bowdoin was able to find a way to pull it out taking the match 6-4, 5-7,6-4.

Redlands returns to the court next week on Monday, March 23 when they host Whitworth University beginning at 4:00pm.