The No. 18 University of Redlands women's tennis team closed out the Whitman College Winter Classic with a 5-2 victory over No. 33 Trinity University (TX) in a time-shortened match in Walla Walla, WA.  After taking a 2-1 lead through the doubles, the Bulldogs looked to the solid play of their top-three singles to secure the deciding points in the important in-region win.

The No. 2 doubles duo of junior Emily Murnin (Salt Lake City, UT) and freshman Elizabeth Johnson (St. Louis, MO) got things rolling for the Maroon & Gray with an 8-4 win.  Seniors Natalie Etchegaray (Placentia, CA) and Lauren Villanueva (El Segundo, CA) registered an 8-3 victory at No. 1 to put the Bulldogs up by a score of 2-0.

Although Trinity won at No. 3, Redlands responded by prevailing at three of the first four singles matches to complete.  Etchegaray made quick work of her opponent at the top slot with a 6-2, 6-2 showing, before Murnin impressed with a 7-5, 6-3 victory at No. 2.  Although the Tigers pulled one back at No. 4, the Bulldogs put this one in the books with Villanueva's match-clinching 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 effort at the No. 2 slot.

Redlands (3-1) heads home to Southern California for its final match of February, which takes place against No. 28 Brandeis University (MA) on Friday, the 19th, at 1 p.m. on Verdieck Courts.