REDLANDS, Calif. -- NAIA No. 10 Point Loma Nazarene finished on top in their first match of the season against DIII No. 16 University of Redlands Saturday, winning 7-2 on the visitors' courts and kicking off the season with a bang.

Doubles started a little shaky with DJ Jaehnig  and Mike Zablan losing 8-3 on three. Joel Myers and KC Ensley on court one and Tyler Bowman and Diego Tavera on court two struggled to keep their leads, both edging out the competition with 8-6.

Loma warmed into its game in singles, winning five of the six points with only two split sets. Leading the wins in singles was Myers, winning 6-0, 6-3 over Redlands' Anish Nanda. Myers played at No. 2 this match after a slight upset against Bowman during the challenge matches which decide the competition line up, or ladder. 

Next to finish was Tavera at No. 4, losing 6-2, 6-2 in straight sets. Jaehnig took his victory soon afterward on court four, powering through split sets to pull off a win with 7-6 in the third. After Bowman's win at No. 1, Green and Gold's success was assured, leaving Ensley, the second Sea Lion to split sets, free to win a super tie breaker 10-5, and Zablan finished soon afterward.

"We were really happy with how we played. The guys did pretty good for their first match of the year and we are hoping to build on it," said head coach Rich Hills.

PLNU ends 1-0 while Redlands drop to 1-2. Hopefully, Loma will carry its confidence into the first conference match against No.1 ranked rival Fresno Pacific Febuary 19 on home courts. The match will start at 10 a.m.