The Bruins have not lost back-to-back games all season.
No. 10 UCLA women’s tennis (15-6, 7-2 Pac-12) lost to No. 42 Washington State (18-8, 3-6) 2-4 on Friday, but bounced back to defeat No. 15 Washington (17-3, 7-2) 4-1 on Sunday in its penultimate regular-season matchup.
The doubles point against Washington State was decided on the second doubles court as the Bruins and Cougars split the matches on courts one and three.
The No. 12 duo of freshman Elysia Bolton and redshirt junior Jada Hart prevailed over Washington State’s combination of Melisa Ates and Yang Lee 7-6 (7-5).
The Hollingberry Fieldhouse has only four courts; therefore, singles play initially began with the top four singles matches. No. 25 Bolton was sidelined because of illness and the Cougars started strong by taking three of the four first sets.
“She got sick after doubles,” said coach Stella Sampras Webster. “She wasn’t fit to play, so we had to pull her.”
Every match except senior Alaina Miller’s encounter went to three sets. Two of the five three-setters were decided by third-set tiebreaks. Sampras Webster said the close matches are indicative of the caliber of the conference.
“It’s giving us great competition so it prepares us for NCAAs,” Sampras Webster said. “It prepares us more for the big tournament.
Sophomore Abi Altick’s 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) loss on court three put the Bruins down 3-1.
The match was clinched on court five as senior Gabby Andrews was downed 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2) by the Cougars’ Aneta Mikovska, leaving freshman Taylor Johnson’s match on court six unfinished.
The Bruins kept the same doubles lineup against the Huskies on Sunday to clinch the doubles point for the ninth straight match. No. 5 senior duo of Andrews and Ayan Broomfield clinched the point with a 6-3 victory on court one.
“Washington State was tough – tough conditions and tough atmosphere,” Broomfield said. “But it was great that (Andrews) and I could bounce back and help the team clinch the doubles point.”
UCLA and Washington split the first sets in singles three apiece.
Bolton secured the second point for the Bruins with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over the Huskies’ Vanessa Wong on the second court. Shortly thereafter, Andrews toppled Kenadi Hance on the sixth court 6-2, 7-5 to put UCLA on the brink of a whitewash.
“We had a team meeting after that match,” Andrews said. “We wanted to make sure we would bring the energy for Washington and we did that.”
Altick was defeated 7-6, 6-2 on court four. The remaining courts all went to four sets.
Broomfield secured the victory for the Bruins with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 win against Washington’s Natsuho Arakawa. Both of Broomfield’s matches this weekend went to three sets.
“When you step on the court, you have to be prepared to go the distance,” Broomfield said. “I wasn’t too concerned because everyone on our team is pretty fit.”
UCLA next will face No. 13 USC (17-5, 7-2) on Saturday at Marks Stadium to conclude its regular season slate.