In Marks Stadium at USC, the stands were bathed with red and gold. The only blue came from the Bruins on the courts, who listened to the eerie silence after every point they earned, and tried to drown out the eruption of cheers in the stands after every shot they missed. The Trojans were out for blood.
Which was why, when UCLA junior Robin Anderson and USC junior Zoë Scandalis approached each other after their match and exchanged smiles, encouraging words and a hug, the Trojan fans were left confused.
And why, when UCLA freshman Jennifer Brady and USC junior Giuliana Olmos did the same, it seemed as if the crosstown rivalry, held and cherished among both fans and players for many years, had been forgotten.
According to the players though, this was not the case. When No. 3 UCLA traveled to No. 6 USC on Friday and defeated the Trojans for the second time this season 5-2, both teams knew all friendships had to be temporarily forgotten the moment the players stepped on to the court.
“I’m really close to the girls on USC. I know a lot of the girls on the team,” Brady said. “It’s different on court. We both know we’re just out there to play and win for our team, and then off court we’re friends.”
Friendships between the teams have been fostered over many years, as the conference rivals face-off several times a season. Players grow up playing tournaments against each other time after time and eventually, they become more than just rivals staring at each other from across the net – they become good friends.
Even the coaches, Stella Sampras Webster of UCLA and Richard Gallien of USC, who have both been in college coaching for almost 20 years, have developed a relationship that far exceeds the fierce rivalry portrayed in the stands.
“We’ve had a lot of great matches together, and I think we both respect each other, our programs, and what we try to do,” said Sampras Webster.
Though the players and coaches on both teams are friends able to put the crosstown tradition of the Bruin-Trojan rivalry aside off the court, once the UCLA players stepped on the court on Friday, they put their team loyalty and Bruin pride ahead of their friends across the net.
After scoring a quick doubles point, the Bruins moved on to victory in singles, with sophomore Catherine Harrison dominating her match and earning the Bruins’ first singles point early. Brady remained unaffected by the pressure of her first match at Marks Stadium, staying focused and taking care of business to win another singles point.
At the end of the night, the Bruins emerged with both a win and long-held friendships still intact.
“Once we get on the court, we’re competitive and we kind of put our friendships on hold for the duration of the match,” Harrison said. “After, we go back to being friends again.”
UCLA is next set to host Baylor, ranked No. 18, on Monday. First serve is slated for 1:30 p.m.