The 2009 women’s tennis season echoed the recently defined expectations of the University of Redlands program by capturing its fourth Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) title and competing well at the NCAA Championships. With a 17-7 overall record, the Bulldogs tied the program record for wins in a season, which dated back to 2005. In addition, the Redlands women’s tennis team boasted its highest ever year-end national ranking at No. 8 and made it to the third round of the NCAA tournament as the conference’s automatic qualifier.

Following a tight 4-5 loss to NAIA opponent Concordia University – Irvine, the Maroon and Gray rattled off six consecutive victories, including 9-0 thrashings against SCIAC opponents, Occidental College, Caltech and the University of La Verne. Due to its outstanding depth, the team refused to even give up a set, let alone a match, in these contests.

During this stretch, the Bulldogs also nabbed important in-region wins over No. 30 Chapman University and No. 17 Trinity University (TX). Against the Tigers of Trinity, the women’s tennis team jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles and then quickly posted two more points with wins by senior Tori Damiani (Sacramento, CA) at No. 3 and freshman Kristen Hunnicutt (Ahwatukee, AZ) at No. 6. Redlands' remaining points came at the hands of two three-set matches. At No. 2, junior Paige Sumida (Hilo, HI) came from behind and captured an exciting 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory, and sophomore Sara Yoshinaga (Honolulu, HI) fought off a final push by her opponent at No. 4 and won 6-0, 6-7 (4), 7-5, resulting in the 6-3 team win.

Redlands took on seven nationally ranked opponents during the next eight matches, extending through the month of March. Although the team succumbed to No. 3 Carnegie Mellon University (PA), it quickly responded with a 9-0 shutout over traditionally talented UC Santa Cruz. The Bulldogs returned home to Verdieck Courts to face No. 11 Bowdoin College (ME) and pulled out the upset. Competing as the No. 14 team in the nation, Redlands relied on the depth of its lineup to capture the 6-3 win. Winning two of the three doubles matches by scores of 8-1 set the stage for continued success in singles. Yoshinaga and senior Kaleena Wakamatsu (Maui, HI) nabbed two-set victories for the Bulldogs before junior Whitney Waters (Austin, TX) clinched the match win with her 6-0, 7-5 performance at the No. 6 slot.

Following a difficult loss to No. 6 Amherst College (MA), Redlands posted an exciting win over No. 18 Gustavus Adolphus College (MN). The Bulldogs faced a 1-2 deficit after doubles as the top duo of Sumida and Waters captured the only point with their 8-6 showing. Sumida, Damiani, and Yoshinaga earned singles victories at their respective spots, which led to the deciding match at the No. 5 slot. Wakamatsu came up with a gritty 6-4, 6-2 performance to secure the win for Redlands.

This propelled the team to the highly competitive Fab 5+ Tournament in Georgia. The Maroon and Gray suffered back-to-back losses for the only time all season but rebounded with a hard-fought 5-4 win against No. 5 Denison University (OH) in the final match of the event. With a 2-1 lead after doubles, Redlands gained a quick 6-0, 6-4 win from Waters at No. 6 singles and then looked to the contributions of Damiani and Wakamatsu to seal the deal. After losing the first set in a tiebreaker, Damiani rallied back for the 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 3. Then, Wakamatsu fought through a tight 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 match at No. 5 for the Bulldogs’ victory.

Redlands wrapped up conference competition with dominating 9-0 victories against Cal Lutheran University, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and Whittier College. Facing off against the only other undefeated team in the conference, Redlands took on the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in the final conference showdown but came up short by a score of 2-7.

With the loss, Redlands entered the SCIAC Championship Tournament as the No. 2 seed but created opportunity for redemption with outstanding play in every match. The Bulldogs soundly defeated Whittier in the opening round and then took care of business in the semifinals against Cal Lutheran, which led to a rematch with Pomona-Pitzer in the finals. Holding a slight 2-1 advantage after doubles, Redlands suffered a tough loss at No. 1 singles but then quickly rebounded with an impressive 6-2, 6-4 showing by Sumida at the No. 2 spot. Nonetheless, the Sagehens came back once again with a victory at No. 4 to tie the score at three apiece. The Bulldogs needed just two of the remaining three matches in order to capture the win. Waters provided a big 7-6 (3), 6-3 victory at No. 5 and then Damiani rallied back from a set down at No. 3, clinching the win for Redlands with her 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 performance. This hard-fought victory resulted in a share of the SCAIC Championship but sent the Bulldogs to the NCAA tournament for the ninth time in ten years.

Prior to nationals, members of the Maroon and Gray competed in the 109th Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament. Junior Rachael Miller (Newport Beach, CA) offered the best results in singles as she advanced to the Round of 16 with two straight-set victories. After defeating opponents from Point Loma Nazarene University and The Master’s College, she suffered a tough loss to the No. 5 seed from Fresno Pacific University. In doubles, Sumida and Waters earned a spot in the quarterfinals. As the No. 7 seed, they enjoyed a first-round bye and then defeated opponents from Concordia - Irvine, 6-2, 6-2, to move onto the Round of 16. They pulled out a 6-2, 6-4 victory over a duo from The Master’s College, before suffering a tough 6-1, 6-3 loss to the top seeded team from Fresno Pacific.

Following a first-round bye at the NCAA Championships, the Bulldogs pushed past regional up-and-comer Chapman University by a score of 5-0. This set up yet another rematch with the familiar foes at Pomona-Pitzer. Unfortunately, the result remained consistent with the trend of the year, garnering back-and-forth results that went in favor of the Sagehens this time, ending the team’s exciting run.

However, the Bulldogs gained three qualifiers to the NCAA Individual Championships as Miller and Sumida competed in singles, and Sumida and Waters teamed up in doubles. Sumida highlighted the tough tournament with her first-round victory over an opponent from Amherst College (MA), 6-3, 6-2. During the Round of 16, she suffered a difficult three-set lost to a player from Carnegie Mellon University (PA), 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3. Miller was eliminated by the eventual national champion from Emory, while the doubles duo suffered a two-set loss to a team from Denison.

Due to their strong contributions during the team’s conference championship season, Miller, Sumida and Damiani landed on the All-SCIAC First Team, while Yoshinaga earned Second-Team honors. In addition, Sumida was honored with the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA)/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award for the West Region. Sumida also earned ITA All-America honors for advancing to the second round of the NCAA Championships in singles. She and Waters gained the accolade for doubles due to their final national ranking of No. 5.

Head Coach Jim Ducey wrapped up a stellar career with the women’s tennis program in 2009, tallying a 91-40 mark in the past six seasons. In SCIAC, the Bulldogs have gone 50-9 under his leadership en route to capturing three conference titles and making five NCAA appearances. Due to the increasing demands of the Redlands men’s basketball team, Ducey has stepped away from the women’s tennis program but sincerely enjoyed working with the team.

Although the graduation of Damiani, Wakamatsu and senior Kelly Lesoing (Bellingham, WA) creates a definite void in the roster, the Bulldog women’s tennis team boasts a talented and committed crew of returnees that strive to continue with the traditions of the program. As they vie for the conference championship and compete among the best in the country, Redlands looks forward to an exciting future during the 2010 campaign.