REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Tennis team opened up their 2022 campaign Friday afternoon at the Verdieck Tennis Courts cruising past Linfield University 7-2.
The Bulldogs who have not seen competition for 699 days due to COVID-19 came out strong in their first home match taking two of three doubles and carrying that momentum into singles where they won five of six.
All three doubles were tight, but the advantage was claimed at No. 3 doubles with Lexi Lehman (Scottsdale, AZ) and Abby Nash (Bellevue, WA) clawing their way back from a 4-1 deficit winning seven of the next eight games to pull off the 8-5 come from behind victory giving UR the 2-1 lead. The other two doubles finished with identical scores 8-6, but at No. 2 Mia Fitzgerald (Kilauea, HI) and Liv Rockwood (Park City, UT) would pull out the win, while Kendall Bolock (Yucaipa, CA) and Gabby Rockwood (Park City, UT) would get edged at the top spot.
After dropping a point at No. 5 singles, which allowed the Wildcats to even the match at 2-2, the U of R bounced back in a big way sweeping the other matches. First year Kiana Brady (Hermosa Beach, CA) and junior Bolock swept their matches 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively moving the score to 4-2. The clinching point came at the top spot from L. Rockwood who pulled out the 6-2, 6-3 win, right in front of Lehman who impressed at No. 2 giving up just two games across both sets winning 6-1, 6-1.
The match of the day though came at No. 6 from Nash who grinded out a win in a third set super tiebreaker. She was down 7-6 (4), 4-0, and 40-15 before putting together the most impressive comeback of her career winning seven of the next eight games in the second set to take it 7-5. She then carried that momentum into the tiebreaker rolling to the 10-2 decision, giving Redlands their seventh point on the afternoon.
Following a trio of exhibition matches against Biola University, Westmont, and San Diego Christian, the Bulldogs will return to the courts for their next countable opponent on Wednesday, February 23 when they host Brandeis University at 2:00pm.
