In its season opener against Loyola Marymount, the No. 4 UCLA
women’s tennis team fulfilled every expectation and learned a
few things along the way, too. The Bruins breezed past the Lions
6-1, cruising to easy victories in both doubles and singles
competition.
“We knew we wanted to dominate,” coach Stella
Sampras Webster said. “This game gave us a chance to see
where we’re at.”
The Bruins (1-0) appear to be in excellent position, with every
winning singles player beating their opponent in straight sets and
all three doubles teams coming away victorious. No. 20 Daniela
Bercek anchored the team at the top spot, defeating Carla Arguelles
6-1, 6-2. The only other returning player for the Bruins, Sarah
Gregg, also had an easy time at the No. 5 spot with a 6-2, 6-0 win
over Diana Vinis. But the overwhelming scores were not as important
as the experience itself.
“These types of matches help our team gain confidence and
give us a chance to try new things,” Bercek said. Starting
four freshmen, newness was a theme for the Bruins. Riza Zalameda,
the most coveted of UCLA’s freshmen, displayed the bright
future of UCLA’s program with her 6-1, 6-2 win at the No. 2
spot over Patrycia Hubl.
“I was nervous on the court with so many people
watching,” said Zalameda, who teamed with Bercek to win 8-4
at the top doubles spot. “But I was confident and used my
aggressive all-around game today.”
Fellow freshmen Tracy Lin and Elizabeth Lumpkin also played like
seasoned veterans, never allowing their opponents to score more
than a single game in a set. Ironically enough, it was the
Bruins’ most experienced freshman, Alex McGoodwin, who
struggled the most. McGoodwin, who redshirted last season after
pulling a stomach muscle, lost to Tamara Tanner in a third set
tiebreak, 7-6, 2-6, (11-9).
Yet despite the surprising outcome of McGoodwin’s loss,
Sampras Webster is also concerned about her doubles teams. Each of
them easily won their matches, but the Bruin coach still sees room
for improvement.
“We need to be more aggressive at the net and work on our
poaching and volleys,” Sampras Webster said.