Junior Logan Staggs roared and celebrated with UCLA fans after every long rally.
Junior Martin Redlicki encouraged the students behind him to get louder and louder during his tight match on court two.
Against then-No. 6 USC’s men’s tennis (22-5, 5-2 Pac-12), the energy at the Sunset Recreational courts was nothing short of tangible as No. 5 UCLA (18-4, 6-0) rode to a 4-1 win and clinched the Pac-12 regular season title.
“If I have to say something to our team to get them up for a USC match then something’s wrong,” said coach Billy Martin. “Courts one, two, three and four came out fired up.”
Redlicki and Staggs, along with teammates senior Gage Brymer and freshman Evan Zhu, swept the first sets against the Trojans, dropping just 13 of 38 games against their opponents combined.
Each extended rally, each deft slice and each jaw-dropping winner spurred on the crowd.
But the energy worked both ways – with the fans growing more and more raucous as the match wore on, there were instances where some nerves were noticeable.
With set-point up 8-7 in his first set tie-breaker, Redlicki faltered.
The junior hit two double faults to give USC’s Nick Crystal the advantage and a chance to serve for the set.
However, the Trojans were rattled into an unforced error as the volume picked up in the surroundings, leading Crystal and USC’s assistant coach Kris Kwinta to consult the chair umpire on the changeover.
Brymer was pushed to a third set on court one, and Redlicki needed to hold serve twice to stay in his match. Neither of them let up, nor did the crowd behind them.
Redlicki came through for the Bruins – taking the second set tiebreaker with a down-the-line return before throwing his racket down to celebrate with his teammates.
And that’s it! Redlicki defeats Crystal 7-6(9), 7-6(2) and UCLA defeats USC, 4-1!!! pic.twitter.com/VKbtupXMwM
— UCLA Men’s Tennis (@uclatennis) April 22, 2017
“This atmosphere – it jazzes anybody up,” Martin said. “Anytime you’re in a sporting event like that, it gives you extra energy. (Redlicki) to me looked like an inspired player out there today.”