REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Tennis team had a busy Saturday getting after a double header—consisting of both an away and home match. The team boasted two major wins against SCIAC opponent, Whittier College, on the road 7-0 and then picking up an upset win over No. 21 Williams College, 5-2 inside the Verdieck Tennis Center giving them seven wins on the season.

Match 1 (Whittier College; W, 7-0)
Redlands jumped into action right away upon arrival in Whittier, immediately sweeping the doubles point. Luke Bishop (Edmond, OK) and Tyler Pyle (Lake Oswego, OR) at No. 2 wrapped up the first set 6-2 followed by Evan Lambert (Sarasota, FL) and Alexander Losani (Ontario, Canada) at No. 3 winning 6-1. Samuel Parsons (Leamington Spa, England) and Cooper Whittington (Lake Oswego, OR) at the top spot nearly pulled off a third win too but fell in the tie break 7-6.

Singles was a tough go around for the Poets with all six of the points going to Redlands. Pyle on the third court continued the winning streak rolling in at 6-1, 6-1.  Not long after, Hinkle at the top spot won with a 6-0, 6-2 victory and Whittington next to him boasted a 6-1, 6-3 win.  Losani at No. 5 added another win under his belt for the season 6-3, 6-2 and Bishop at No. 4 closed his match out 6-2, 6-1. The last match on was Lambert on court six fighting through the first set winning 7-5 before cruising through the second set 6-2.

Match 2 (No. 21 Williams College; W, 5-2)
It was a slow start in doubles for the Maroon and Grey but they did manage to fight their way back with all three matches going to tiebreakers.  Despite the furious comeback only one team managed to grab a win.  The No.1 team of Vitomir Petcov (Portland, OR) and MJ Abarca (San Diego, CA) came back from behind in the tie break too and stunned their opponents 7-6.  Parsons and Whittington at No. 2 and Hinkle and Mateen Ghafarshad (Claremont, CA) at No. 3 both fell 7-6. 

Redlands flipped the switch entering singles after dropping the doubles point. They quickly rattled off the next four points, giving the Bulldogs the 4-1 clinch. William Pullin (Peachtree City, GA) at number five put the team on the score board with a speedy 6-2, 6-3 win directly followed by Hinkle at four in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. Petcov on the top court had an impressive 6-2, 6-4 showing.  Ghafarshad on the last court split sets but fired it back up for the third taking it 6-0,1-6, 6-3.

The Ephs took the next point against Gustavo Marcanth (Redondo Beach, CA) on the second court playing out three full sets 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Abarca on court three was the last match on for the evening. Having nearly lost the first set 7-5, he came back in the second set to win 6-4 and triumphantly pulled out the third set tie breaker 12-10. The men stormed his court after two major wins for the day. 

Redlands returns to the court next Saturday, April 4 when they host Occidental College for another SCIAC match up beginning at 11:00am inside the Verdieck Tennis Center.