After nearly two weeks away from competition, the No. 13 University of Redlands men's tennis team returned to action with a pair of non-conference matches on Saturday. With a total-team effort, the Bulldogs registered a 6-3 win over Stevens Institute of Technology (NJ) before taking down No. 17 University of Mary Washington (VA) in an epic 5-4 decision.
In the team's second match of the day, the Bulldogs edged out the Eagles in an exciting and gritty battle between familiar foes.
In doubles, junior Ted Burchett (Gold River, CA) and freshman Jake Ly (Torrance, CA) posted an 8-4 victory at the No. 3 slot. However, this was the Maroon and Gray's only point in doubles, creating a slight hole to overcome in singles action.
Junior Nick Cummins (Rancho Mirage, CA) unleashed an impressive singles showing to even the count for the Bulldogs. He knocked off his No. 2 opponent by scores of 6-0, 6-2.
The two teams traded punches in the next two matches, with junior Patrick Lipscomb (Irvine, CA) gaining the edge at No. 1, 6-2, 7-5.
Redlands nabbed its first lead of the match when freshman Tom Suchodolski (Amherst, MA) stepped up with a 6-1, 7-5 triumph at the No. 3 slot, making the overall team score 4-3 in favor of the Bulldogs.
Needing one of the two remaining matches to secure the win, the Maroon and Gray looked to Burchett and junior Gram Leahy (Portland, OR) to hopefully find a way. Both players won their first set but eventually headed to a third, providing plenty of drama in this high-caliber showdown.
But the Eagles tallied a comeback victory at No. 4, evening the overall count once again.
In an incredibly long and exciting battle, Leahy fought off multiple match points to finally secure the Bulldogs' fifth point with his 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (10) triumph at No. 6.
Earlier in the day, the Maroon and Gray jumped out to a 2-1 lead over Stevens. Burchett and Ly fired off an 8-3 victory in the duo's debut at No. 3. Cummins and junior Max Licona (Los Angeles, CA) took care of business at the No. 2 slot, winning by a score of 8-5.
Although the Ducks pulled one back at No. 1, the Maroon and Gray maintained the momentum by capturing wins in the first three singles matches to come off the court. Cummins cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 showing at the No. 2 position, before Leahy impressed at the No. 6 slot with his 6-3, 6-0 victory. Suchodolski secured the deciding point for Redlands by prevailing over his No. 3 foe by scores of 6-4, 6-1.
With the match already in hand, the Bulldogs also gained a 7-6 (2), 2-6, 10-6 win by Lipscomb at the top of the lineup.
Redlands (4-2) looks forward to a busy week of action, beginning with sixth-ranked Trinity University (TX) on Tuesday at 2 p.m. on Verdieck Courts.
