When the No. 3 UCLA women’s tennis team takes on No. 36 UC Irvine this afternoon, it’ll be the first dual match they’ve played in over a week due to bad weather conditions that forced the postponement of what would’ve been their toughest match of the young season.
The Bruins (1-0) were scheduled to take on No. 13 Baylor last Friday, but rain forced the two teams to reschedule the dual match for Feb. 26.
“It would’ve been nice to get that match against Baylor in just so we could’ve gotten a dual match against a top team before heading to Madison (for National Team Indoors),” senior Tracy Lin said.
Instead, UCLA will have to use today’s match against the Anteaters (0-1), as well as a match on the road in Malibu against No. 18 Pepperdine on Friday to gear up for the USTA/ITA National Team Indoors in Madison, Wisconsin.
But the Bruins will gladly play any matches possible before taking their journey out of California, as finding a chance to practice has been a rare opportunity over the past several days.
“We haven’t played a whole lot in terms of practice, so we’re just happy to get a match in before Pepperdine,” coach Stella Sampras Webster said. “We’re excited to play and compete.
“It just takes a little time to get their timing back, but it comes quick.”
Last season when the two teams faced off, the Bruins toppled the Anteaters by a 7-0 margin, dropping just one set in singles play after sweeping doubles.
UC Irvine, like UCLA, has played just one match so far this season, dropping a 7-0 decision against USC on Jan. 25 at David X. Marks Tennis Stadium in Los Angeles. It won’t be the last time the Anteaters take on quality opponents, as they are scheduled to face a total of 15 teams ranked in the preseason top 75.
As for the Bruins, they are focused on getting prepared for the National Team Indoors where they lost in the first round to Northwestern last season before avenging the loss in the Round of 16 at the NCAA Championships just months later.
“We’re looking to use this match to get back in the groove of things and of course to prepare for Pepperdine on Friday which is a big match for us leading up into Madison,” Lin said. “I think we’re ready and we need to focus a lot on preparing mentally for the national tournament coming up and I’m pretty sure physically things will take care of themselves.”
GOING AGAINST THE WAVES: When the Bruins take on Pepperdine on Friday, both teams will likely be facing fatigue, and perhaps the Waves will be battling more exhaustion than UCLA as they take on No. 8 USC today on the road before returning home.
“Everybody’s in the same boat so we should be fine,” Sampras Webster said of other Southern California teams who have been affected by the rainy weather and scheduling changes.