Coach Stella Sampras Webster said it was time for the lowerclassmen to step up. Sophomore Terri Fleming did just that.
UCLA women’s tennis was leading in its rivalry match with USC, but it was far from a comfortable situation. Up 3-2, there were still two matches left, both going into deciding third sets.
Sophomore Kristin Wiley was struggling and it was uncertain whether she could pull it out. On court five, however, Fleming was feeding off the energy of the larger-than-normal home crowd. Leading 5-3, Fleming put the ball away with a forehand volley, sealing the match for her and the Bruins.
Wiley was able to win too, but it was not without the help of pressure relief and some stubbornness.
The 5-2 victory over crosstown foe USC (3-4) was much needed for UCLA (6-3), which is coming off a two-match skid.
“Any time we play USC, we’ll take it however we can get it,” Sampras Webster said. “They always make it difficult for us, they always bring their best, so I’m just really proud of my team.”
The beginning of the match was anything but encouraging for UCLA.
Despite another strong performance from seniors Catherine Harrison and Kyle McPhillips, the pairs on courts two and three could not keep up with the Trojans, losing the the doubles point for the third time this season.
After USC took a 6-1, 6-1 victory on court six in singles, UCLA was in a worrisome 2-0 hole.
It was Harrison, McPhillips and freshman Alaina Miller, though, that contributed to the Bruins’ comeback with straight-set victories on the front courts to put them a point away from winning the match.
With a 3-2 lead, Fleming and Wiley were the final matches, playing in their first three-set matches of the season.
After winning the first set and losing the second set, the sophomores rallied in their third sets by employing a more aggressive strategy.
“I (needed) to attack and not try to rally with her,” Fleming said. “I started to use my backhand to open up the court and that really helped.”
Wiley struggled in her first set, facing a 2-5 deficit. But she rallied back to take the set 7-6 (5). USC’s Jessica Failla – the No. 66 singles player in the nation – took the second set from Wiley, and couldn’t overcome the sophomore in the third.
“All of the games were really close regardless of the score, always the difference of one or two points,” Wiley said. “I was just really stubborn about it. I just told myself, ‘I’m not going to lose this match.’”
UCLA will attempt to transfer the momentum into Saturday’s match against Baylor (4-6), the last match before conference play starts.
“Our match on Saturday is extremely important, and we cannot have a letdown and go into that match and think it is going to be easy based on ranking,” Sampras Webster said. “Recovery and preparation are really important because we have the talent to do well against them – we just have to make sure we are ready.”