The Lions' men and women had a subpar trip to California last week as both teams went a combined 2-9 overall.
The men dropped their first contest to the University of Redlands 8-1. Sophomore Jeremy Eckhardt was the lone winner for the College in his singles contest after his opponent retired in the second set.
The lone victory out west came when the No. 25 Lions upset the 10th-ranked Bowdoin College Polar Bears by a final score of 5-4. The winning effort was led by senior Roger Mosteller, who triumphed in both the singles and doubles contests. His fifth singles win was the match that gave the College the 'W'.
Eckhardt also had another solid outing, as he notched a singles win in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3, while prevailing with senior teammate Eric Ferriere in the key second doubles match 9-8 (4).
Following the win against Bowdoin, the men dropped their next two team events at the Pomona Pitzer College's second annual Stag Hen Invitational tournament.
The College was edged by ninth-ranked Trinity University (Texas) 5-4. Seniors Mosteller and Michael Klimchak picked up singles wins for the Lions and then combined on a decisive first doubles win 8-6.
In the second day of the tournament, the men got by Pomona Pitzer 5-4 before falling to Whitman College 5-1.
On the afternoon, the Lions won two out of three doubles matches against the Pomona Pitzer Sagehens, including triumphs by the duos of Eckhardt and Ferriere, 9-7, and junior James Vance with freshman Jonathan Yu, 8-6. The Lions' lone win against Whitman came when Eckhardt and Ferriere won yet another doubles match 8-6.
After the West Coast swing, the Lions men brought home a 4-3 overall record.
As for the women, they had a much more difficult time, as the No. 17-ranked Lions dropped all four of their team events.
The University of Redlands took down the College first, 8-1. The Lions found little success, only winning one doubles match.
The Lions were upset by 26th-ranked Bowdoin College 6-3, despite a superb effort by sophomore Stefanie Haar. She picked up a huge doubles win with junior Haley Kutner before nabbing a victory in her singles match in straight sets 6-2, 6-4. The tandem is 4-1 on the year.
Pomona Pitzer's women did what their men could not do, beating the College, 8-1. The Lions were swept in the doubles matches, and their only win came at the hands of Kutner, 6-4, 6-1.
Finally, the hardest blow hit the College women when they were swept 9-0 by the No. 2-ranked powerhouse of Amherst University. There was not much to look positively on, as the Lions lost all three doubles matches and all six singles contests.
The ladies are now 6-3 overall on the campaign.
Both the men's and women's teams are not competing again until March 29 when they head to Canton, N.Y., to take on St. Lawrence University.
