As rain continued to fall Friday afternoon, the UCLA women’s tennis team was looking to begin its regular season. Despite the match being postponed to Saturday and relocated to Loyola Marymount University, the group had a strong showing and started its season off with a win.
The No. 25 Bruins were effective in their singles and doubles play, earning four singles points and the doubles point in their 5-2 victory over the LMU Lions. UCLA’s lineup was potent, put together with much thought from coach Stella Sampras Webster.
“It was tough,” Sampras Webster said, when discussing her choice of athletes to put in the lineup. “I just tried to put a lineup together that was based on results that they had in the fall and their first individual tournaments.”
Strong play by freshman Ena Shibahara and sophomore Alaina Miller helped lead to a victory for UCLA. Shibahara, ranked fourth in the nation, won her singles match against LMU’s Jessica Perez in two sets, and took home a win in doubles with redshirt freshman Jada Hart against Perez and Elvira Juravliova.
“What worked for me was just to run down every ball and be aggressive,” Shibahara said. “The girl I played is a really solid player from the baseline and I was just trying to mix up the balls, and I think I was able to do that really well.”
Miller also earned a singles point for the Bruins, taking down LMU’s Anna Romeka in two sets at court four. Miller and junior Terri Fleming continued UCLA’s strong doubles performance by defeating LMU’s Camila Tumosa and Julia Norlin.
“I was very happy with how I played,” Miller said. “I wasn’t getting frustrated, and I can say that for everyone else too. Everyone was enjoying playing, putting in the work, and accepting whatever outcome came.”
Changes in date and venue, due to rain, could have been challenging, but Sampras Webster said the players felt these factors hardly affected them or the match.
“I was really pleased with the way our team came out,” Sampras Webster said. “They were prepared, they were ready to compete, and they adjusted well to playing at LMU. I didn’t see any signs of anxiety or anything from the girls, so it was really nice to see how they just handled the changes and being ready to play their first dual match.”
The players and Sampras Webster consider their team’s small size to be a potential weakness, which increases the importance of staying healthy. However, they believe the chemistry and relationship of this tight-knit group will take them far this season.
“Today was awesome and the energy was great,” Miller said. “Everybody was cheering each other on all throughout the match. I was really excited to play and then cheer on everyone else after playing. I wanted to be in it with everyone, enjoying the wins and losses.”
Other Bruins that performed well against the Lions include Fleming and junior Kristin Wiley, both earning singles points.
UCLA next travels to Atlanta for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Indoors Qualifying Tournament, taking on No. 20 Kentucky. Sampras Webster said she is excited for what’s to come.
“I think playing this match is going to help us when we go to Georgia,” Sampras Webster said. “I am really excited that we played today, got the win, and we’re going into kickoff weekend with everyone having a match under their belt.”
An initial win is a great start for the Bruins, Shibahara said, leading them into hopes of a successful season.
“It was a really good feeling playing today and I’m really excited that I’ll have that feeling every time I play now,” Shibahara said. “It was just how I expected it to be, and I am really looking forward to the rest of our season.”