Friday, January 15, 1999
UCLA takes bite out of Bulldogs with easy victory
MTENNIS: Though staying close in doubles matches, Fresno State
couldn’t keep up in singles play
By Dave Denicke
Daily Bruin Contributor
Jean-Noel Grinda’s ace to open the number one doubles match
Wednesday foreshadowed what would happen at the Los Angeles Tennis
Center in the match against an overmatched Fresno State team. UCLA
overpowered the 22nd-ranked Bulldogs, sweeping all six singles
contests and winning two of three doubles matches for the seventh
point.
However the day did not start off so smoothly for the Bruins,
who entered the match ranked No. 7 in the nation. Fresno State’s
number three doubles team of Kevin Vieira and David Mullins used
aggressive net play and two early breaks of serve to defeat the
Bruin tandem of Zach Fleishman and Noah Newman, 8-3. In the other
two doubles contests, Fresno State capitalized on aggressive net
play early, but as the day wore on, the Bruins’ talent proved too
much for the Bulldogs.
Grinda and Jong-Min Lee not only teamed up to clinch the doubles
point (following an 8-5 win by the No. 2 team of Brandon Kramer and
Jason Cook), but also turned around and routed their singles
opponents. While Lee won the number five singles match handily,
6-1, 6-2, Grinda dispatched of Fresno State’s top dog Peter Luczak,
6-2, 6-0, winning the final ten games of the match.
"I am pretty satisfied overall (with my performance)," said
Grinda. "I feel physically fit, which is a big part of my game. I
lost some playing time earlier due to injuries, and was a bit
tentative in the first couple of games, but I adjusted well and
came out strong in the single."
Left-hander Chris Sands also sparked the Bruins, winning in
impressive fashion over Joseph Gilbert, 6-1, 6-0. Sands blended
consistency with aggressiveness to win in front of a relatively
large crowd.
"They definitely pump me up. And I think it also gets to my
opponents and frustrates them,"said Sands.
UCLA was simply dominating in singles competition, as no Bruin
dropped a set to the Bulldogs.
"This sweep is a great start to our season," Zach Fleishman
said. "We really made a statement out there today, that we are
starting to gel as a team."
Head coach Billy Martin downplayed the importance of the season
opener, however.
"It’s always nice to start a season this way, even though we’re
still working on doubles combinations. But this is another match
under our belt, and it’s an important dress rehearsal for the
bigger matches later in the season."
Comparing this year’s squad to last year’s, Grinda noted, "We
are in better shape not only physically, but mentally as well.
Teams work together, and this team’s chemistry is quite good."
UCLA team members will compete individually in this weekend’s
National Collegiate Tennis Classic, and shall return to team play
January 22nd at home against Tulane.DANIELA DECCA
Zach Fleishman goes for a shot during UCLA’s tennis match
against Fresno State.
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