THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran women's tennis wrapped up its 2026 campaign on Saturday afternoon, pushing No. 30 Redlands to the brink before falling 4-3 in a tightly contested matchup.
With the loss, the Regals finish the season at 10-5 overall and 3-4 in conference play, navigating a strong SCIAC slate.
The Bulldogs struck first by taking two of the three doubles matches to claim the early 1-0 lead. Despite the setback, the pairing of
Eva Toplak and
Anaya Ayanbadejo delivered at No. 3, earning a 7-5 victory.
The Regals answered in a big way in singles, winning three matches and putting Redlands on upset alert throughout the afternoon.
Evelyn Oltmans bounced back at No. 3 after dropping the first set to secure a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 comeback victory.
Grace Balasian also put forth a dominant performance at No. 4, taking her match 6-1, 7-5, and Toplak added another point for Cal Lu at No. 6, cruising to a 6-0, 6-1 win.
With the team result hanging in the balance, the final decision came down to a tight battle at No. 5. Ayanbadejo opened strong with a first-set win, but Redlands' Sophia Truong responded in the next two, narrowly clinching the point to edge out the Regals 4-3.
Though the result fell just short, CLU's performance highlighted the team's resilience and competitiveness within a loaded SCIAC conference.
Saturday's match marked the end of the season for the Regals, who put together an impressive campaign filled with key wins and hard-fought battles throughout the lineup.
