REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Tennis team had a busy Monday with a pair of matches inside the Verdieck Tennis Center blanking Whitworth University 7-0 before falling 5-2 to No. 8 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Match 1 (Whitworth; W, 7-0)
Solid start to the day for the Bulldogs grabbing their sixth win on the season as they made quick work of the Pirates from the Pacific Northwest.    

The Pirates were no match for the Bulldogs in doubles, as the U of R secured the early doubles point. Leading the pack, on court two, Sophia Truong (Arleta, CA) and Vrishitha Kumar (Mumbai, India) were on and off the court efficiently with a 6-0 win. Following suit, on court one, Maegan Deng (Torrance, CA) and Lindsey Whelan (Mercer Island, WA) put together a speedy 6-2 victory. Maisy Reynoso (El Paso, TX) and Jasmine Sheets (Hesperia, CA) at number three almost pulled out a third win but ultimately fell in the tiebreaker 7-6.

Moving into singles, Redlands won all six spots.  At No.1 Deng flew through her match almost winning with a double bagel 6-0, 6-1. Reynoso at No. 2 and Kumar at No. 3 finished at exactly the same moment—together giving the Bulldogs the overall clinch. Both winning in straight sets, Reynoso 6-2, 6-1 and Kumar 6-1, 6-2.

Eve Laurent (Portland, OR) at five had another successful day in the office with a 6-0, 6-2 win. Next to her at No. 6 Sofia Ganshirt (Santa Clarita, CA) also picked up her first singles win of her collegiate career 6-3, 6-1.  The last match on, Truong at No. 4 fought through a first set tie break 7-6 and secured the second set 6-4.

Match 2 (No. 8 MIT; L, 5-2)
Wrapping up the doubleheader the Bulldogs nearly upset No. 8 MIT with the Engineers pulling out the last couple of matches to win 5-2. 

Redlands came out with a statement taking the early doubles point.  Court one with Maegan Deng (Torrance, CA) and Lindsey Whelan (Mercer Island, WA) had another decisive 6-2 win. Next to them, at No. 2 was Sophia Truong (Arleta, CA) and Vrishitha Kumar (Mumbai, India) who had a tough match-up falling 6-0.  Maisy Reynoso (El Paso, TX) and Jasmine Sheets (Hesperia, CA) at number three again entered a set tiebreak, but this time came out on top with the 7-6 victory, followed by the team storming the court after the pair secured the doubles point.

The Bulldogs entered singles fired up and it looked promising as three first sets had been secured by Redlands. However, the Engineers put up the next three points on the scoreboard. Truong at five fell 6-1, 6-0 and a few minutes later Kumar at four finished falling 6-0, 6-3.  On the last court, Eve Laurent (Portland, OR) fell in the first set 6-0 but gained a break in the second set leading 4-1 but could not hold it as she would fall 6-4.

The last three matches split with two matches getting pushed into full third sets as neither team had clinched at 3-1. Reynoso at three battled through her first set coming out of it 6-4, before falling 6-3 in the second and then getting blanked 6-0 in the third.  At No. 2 Whelan nearly had a win. Sailing through her first set 6-3 and was up in the second set before falling 7-5.  She was then broken late in the third as she would drop the decision 6-3. 

The Bulldog's second win of the night came two and a half hours later. Deng at the top spot was on fire winning the first set 6-4.  She was up in the second set nearing the finish line but ended up falling in a breaker 7-6.  She was forced to play a third set tiebreak, which she would come out on top in winning 10-4.

Redlands hits the road this Saturday, March 28 when they travel to take on Whittier College beginning at 2:00pm.