Redlands Lady Bulldogs
Fall 2014 Ranking: #19
Spring 2015 Ranking: #18
Fall 2015 Ranking: #18
Player Ranking (National/Regional):
Natalie Etchegaray: #35/#9
Catherine Allen: NR/#14
Etchegaray/Allen: #25/#7
Hello Hello! It’s my turn for another preview of the upcoming tennis season. I have to say that writing these previews really fuels me up for the season ahead, especially given all of the hard work that each and every one of these teams have put in. Now moving onto business, let’s talk about the #18 Redlands Lady Bulldogs!
Last season, Redlands played a very tricky schedule with some very formidable opponents from across the US of A including Sewanee, Bowdoin, WashU and Wes. After an up and down campaign in 2015, Redlands came out on the bright side of the D3 ‘black hole’ and finished ahead of Mary Washington, Tufts and conference foe La Verne. Overall, I always find Redlands as that awkward bridesmaid at that wedding you went to last summer, where she doesn’t exactly get the credit she deserves but still kinda rocks it and then kinda hangs out and does her own thing. Redlands does not really get the credit for a well scheduled year and decent lineup, but then they do not always bring it on match day. The Bulldogs say goodbye to Ceara Sumida and Julia Pollak to graduation, solid lineup players, especially in dubs.
Schedule Analysis:
FEBRUARY
Fri. 5 Linfield
Sat. 13 Whitman @ Walla Walla, WA
Lewis & Clark @ Walla Walla, WA
Sun. 14 Trinity (Tex.) @ Walla Walla, WA
Fri. 19 Brandeis
MARCH
Fri. 4 Chris. Newport
Wed. 9 Case Western Reserve
Fri. 11 Wesleyan (Conn.)
Sat. 12 Washington (Mo.)
Tue. 15 Texas-Tyler
Sat. 19 Amherst
Occidental *
Tue. 22 Bowdoin
Wed. 23 Oberlin
Fri. 25 Whittier *
APRIL
Fri. 1 Cal Lutheran *
Sat. 2 at La Verne *
Fri. 8 at Claremont-M-S *
Sat. 9 Chapman *
Sat. 16 at Caltech *
Sat. 30 at Pomona-Pitzer *
Redlands comes out in 2016 with a very similar schedule and lineup to 2015. Starting the season off with a bang, the Bulldogs open up with #35 Linfield. The Wildcats are never shy of a big match and this one will be a great opener for the new season. While Linfield may be lacking the depth to beat Redlands this time around, this match won’t be a cakewalk, 6-3 Bulldogs (battles at the top spots, 1S, 2S, 2D).
Redlands will then travel to Whitman for the annual Whitman Invite, a great West regional event with all nationally ranked squads and a ‘black hole’ waiting to happen. I think the Bulldogs will take down a depleted Whitman and take down Trinity (TX) based on depth. The fight here will be Lewis & Clark, I think this could be the match of the month and first half of the season in the West region as both squads are evenly matched in my opinion. L&C will take this one 5-4, match comes down to 1S. The last match of this month will be a home rubber for the Bulldogs against #28 Brandeis. While the ‘Deis took 4 points off of the Bulldogs last year, they have lost Cooke who was a stud in that match. This time, Redlands takes a 6-3 decision. ‘Deis wins points in the lower half positions, maybe 3S, 5S and 3D (gotta be a breaker).
Moving on towards March, things remain heavy for the Dawgs. Easier matches dot the bookends of the month with Christopher Newport and Whittier; as well as a dual match with Oxy but Redlands will face a tough task in #20 Case Western, one that I am not 100% on making the call, perhaps a 5-4 decision either way based on rankings, could go either way. Wesleyan will arrive next and I think this CT based squad will prove too much for the Bulldogs, especially with Chong/Yu in the picture. 7-2 Wes. WashU and Texas-Tyler arrive next and while the latter will be a Redlands victory, I see WashU coming down to third sets and doubles, a loss for the Lady Bulldogs. #3 Amherst will be a very strong test for Redlands, one that will be insurmountable but Redlands can squeak out a few points if ‘Herst is off their game. Bowdoin will finish maniac March and take an 8-1 decision from the Bulldogs.
April is all SCIAC for Redlands, so nothing but easy. Cal Lu, CalTech and Chapman won’t be too much trouble – Pomona and CMS will take victories based on depth. However, I think we should really look for the 3rd seed in the SCIAC to be decided on the 4/2 match with La Verne. The squads split decisions last season but I think this will be much more one-way traffic for Redlands, 6-3. (look for wins at 1S, 2S, 3S, 5S, 6S and 2D)
Lineup Analysis:
Back to the ever handy UTR again! Universaltennis.com
Power 6 Team Rating: 43
#1 Singles – Natalie Etchegaray (8.49): A solid player in the top half of the lineup throughout her career and an All-American last season. She really stepped up her play in the latter half of 2015 and I think she will need to be on her toes from the first serve of 2016 against Ella Riddle
Big Results: def. Chen (Pomona), Jiang (Pomona) Loss to Zhao (Pomona)
#2 Singles – Catherine Allen (8.50): While Allen is technically rated higher than Etchegaray, I do not think that she will take the top spot. She will be a STUD in 2 and probably one of the best in the nation at the spot in my opinion. Other players best be on alert.
Big Results: def. Livingston (CMS), Kuo, Shivani (both Pomona) Loss to Ward (CMS, 7-5 in third)
#3 Singles – Lauren Villaneuva (7.46): Villaneuva is a solid lower half of the lineup player, as shown by her first half of 2015. However, once she moved to #3, she struggled against nationally ranked foes. I think Redlands would do wonders with another player holding Villaneuva down to #4, but I do not see another one on the horizon. She will win matches, just not against squads ranked higher than the Bulldogs.
#4 Singles – #6 Singles Abigail Kent (6.66), Gabby Vazquez (6.64), Elizabeth Johnson (6.07), Emily Murnin (6.40), Kate Dolan (6.15): Well, this is a tricky case. Go for experience first and then young blood? I think Vazquez and Murnin will be in this mix for sure, especially after Murnin’s year in 2015. This will really be a toss up for #6. Johnson seems to be best on the doubles court, Dolan did take down Villaneuva at ITAs. I think a freshman will take the #6 spot but do not have enough info for the moment.
#1 Doubles – Allen/Etchegaray: This new pair reached the ITA Quarters and battled with Ward/Kuosman. I think we could be seeing a top tier West regional squad in the making here. Look for some big scalps from this pair.
#2 Doubles – Villaneuva/Johnson: This team saw a good run at ITAs, ending up losing to their teammates listed above. Not much to say as they are a new team, but Villaneuva proved her doubles skill on the courts last year and this pair did defeat Zamilpa/Etchegaray of Whittier.
#3 Doubles – Vazquez/???: I think Vazquez will be here, given her experience. Her partner is deff TBD. Maybe Murnin, given their history or could be a freshman,.
West’s Wonderful Words of Wisdom
#1: 3-6 Singles: This portion of the lineup is going to define the results for Redlands. If the Lady Bulldogs go about 70% in victories here, they will be Top 15 easily. If they go 40% victories, they may slide a little.
#2: DUBS! Redlands looks good at 1 and 2 based on ITA results, but that was the Fall. I think they will need some players to step it up to turn results into a favorable outcome.
#3: Defend the Home Court/Travel Well – Redlands is similar to CMS in that the will host a LOT of matches, especially in March. However, traveling to La Verne and the Whitman Invite will lead to some tough cookies on the schedule.
OK peeps! That is all I have for this time around. Wishing you all a very Happy Holidays!!!
Peace and Tennis,
D3WW