His teammates were calling him “the comeback kid” – for good reason.
It was during No. 5 UCLA men’s tennis last dual match of the weekend against No. 16 Cal, when sophomore Logan Staggs made a miraculous come-from-behind push after losing the first set and going down 5-1 in the second.
He saved eight match points and won 11 of the last 12 games to force a 4-6, 7-5, 5-1 score. In that seventh game of that third set, Staggs had triple match point and was on the verge of clinching the dual match for the Bruins. He didn’t win though.
His fellow teammate junior Gage Brymer won first, ending the match before Staggs could finish off his opponent.
“Logan Staggs – maybe one of the best comebacks in a long time,” said coach Billy Martin. “I mean that guy was down and out a set, four-love. He was even down some match points at 5-3. He would not be denied. He just kept fighting and hanging in there.”
Staggs was visibly upset once the match was called, but he said he wouldn’t let not winning get to him.
“Well, you know, I am just glad I didn’t lose,” Staggs said. “It was a little disappointing to come all the way back from what seemed like impossible – then to be denied a win. You know, I would take that over a loss.”
For rest of the dual match, in singles anyways, the Bruins played routine, quickly picking up wins at the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 singles.
Sophomore Martin Redlicki didn’t waste any time downing the recently struggling No. 17 Andre Goransson 6-1, 6-3 at the two spot. Playing in his last home conference match, senior Karue Sell defeated Oskar Wikberg 6-2, 6-3 to continue his undefeated season at 14-0.
“It’s rhythm mostly,” Sell said. “I found my game last fall and I started the year pretty well (at) Sherwood and I think since then my confidence is pretty high … It’s been a bunch of factors but I have just been very confident in my game and I don’t shy away in tough situations.”
Shortly after Sell’s win, the nation’s No. 9 singles player, junior Mackie McDonald won over No. 28 Florian Lakat 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead. Cal’s lone singles point came from J.T. Nishimura with a come-from-behind victory over junior Joseph Di Giulio, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Where UCLA struggled was in doubles, once again. The Bruins started off the season with some of the best doubles in the country, but has recently regressed, losing three of the four doubles points.
“(Saturday) was just frustrating from a coaching stand point – the doubles again,” Martin said. “Especially on (courts) one and two when we went up three-love. We started out well and finished horribly.”
UCLA improves to 15-2 on the season and 4-0 in conference play, sitting comfortably in first place in the Pac-12.
With contributing reports by Hanson Wang, Daily Bruin contributor. Email Placet at kcplacet@media.ucla.edu or tweet him @kplacet.