Tuesday, February 9, 1999
UCLA experiences top teams at championships
WTENNIS: Doubles fall to Georgia duo; Popescu eliminated in
first round
By Audrey Jing
Daily Bruin Contributor
The UCLA women’s tennis team sent its top players to the Rolex
National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships last week to compete
against the nation’s elite.
The No. 12 team of juniors Amanda Basica and Annica Cooper,
opened with a 6-4, 6-4 win over No. 18 Kelly Brown and Massoumeh
Emami of Kentucky before being eliminated by top ranked Vanessa
Castellano and Marissa Catlin of Georgia in a close three-set
loss.
"It was a heartbreaker," Basica said. "But at the same time, it
gives you confidence because you know you’re right up there with
the top team in the nation. They felt beatable."
Basica and Cooper managed to find the chink in the Georgia duo’s
armor, taking the first set 6-4. After serving for the match twice
in the second set at 5-2 and 6-5, the Bruins were pushed to 6-all.
Georgia took the second set, winning the 7-4 tiebreaker.
Set three once again found the Bruins ahead, this time with a
4-2 lead. Georgia answered back with a 6-4 set to send the Bruins
home.
The loss was the Bruin tandem’s second of the season, both
coming against top 10 teams.
"It was a good experience playing the top ranked team," Cooper
said. "It’s a good measuring stick to see where we stand."
Sophomore Cristina Popescu was eliminated after first round play
losing 3-6, 5-7 to Sarah Borwell of Houston in her opening singles
match.
"I didn’t play well that day," Popescu said.
"The surface was very fast and the girl I played had the right
game for that surface. She had a huge serve and hit really hard –
she just played better than me."
The Bruins will have a chance to catch up with their national
competition at the USTA National Team Indoors, which will run
February 18 through 21.
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