LYNCHBURG, Va. -- In the program's first-ever home match, Randolph got out to a slow start before rallying to tie.
The WildCats fell behind, 4-0, but rallied to tie the match at 4-4 before falling, 5-4, to Bridgewater in ODAC quarterfinal play.
The Eagles came in as the No. 5 seed in the tournament, while the WildCats had their highest-ever seed, No. 4.
At No. 3, seniors Danielle Lewis and Tiandre Forde were the first match to complete, falling 8-4 on court three.
Junior Dina Velazco and sophomore Jenna Sweet finished up shortly thereafter on court one, dropping the match by a score of 8-3.
Junior Sarah Parker and sophomore Heather Parra battled against Shannon Quinn and Ashley Price on court two to wrap up doubles play.
With the teams deadlocked at 6-6, Randolph moved within a game of victory.
The WildCats turned aside three straight Bridgewater game points to stay alive, but couldn't stop a fourth, sending the match to a tiebreaker.
Bridgewater took the first four points of that tiebreaker, eventually falling 7-4.
In singles play, Velazco was the first to finish at No. 1, dropping a straight sets decision.
That left the WildCats in a 4-0 hole, needing every remaining match.
Sweet and Parra finished just over a minute apart in No. 3 and No. 4 doubles, halving the lead with a pair of victories, 6-1, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-4, respectively.
Forde was the next to finish on court seven in No. 6 action, winning, 6-4, 6-4 to pull Randolph witin 4-3.
Parker had a battle on her hands at No. 2, taking an incredible first set, 7-5, before winning set two to win the match and bring her team level.
That put all eyes on court three, where Lewis and Leanne Smithers battled with everything on the line.
By the time the other matches had completed, each player had a set to her name, with Lewis cruising, 6-0, in set one before falling 6-4 in set two.
In a lengthy set, featuring numerous long rallies, Smithers came out on top, 6-0.
The match ends one of Randolph's most successful seasons, including a program-record eight ODAC wins and today's first-ever home playoff match.
