This weekend’s ITA Division I Kick-Off Weekend will provide the women’s tennis team with its first chance to test out a younger, less experienced lineup than the one that reached last year’s NCAA Final.
No. 9 UCLA will face UC Irvine Friday in the opening round. With a win over the Anteaters, the Bruins would advance to play against the winner of Friday’s Fresno State-Arkansas match for a berth in February’s ITA National Women’s Team Indoor Championship, generally considered the second-biggest tournament of the year behind only the NCAA Tournament.
Though all three of UCLA’s potential opponents this weekend are unranked, coach Stella Sampras Webster cautioned against overconfidence, noting that UC Irvine recruits heavily from the Southern California area, leading to familiar and perhaps dangerous matchups for the Bruins.
After having graduated four of six starters from last year and with numerous players sidelined due to injuries, Sampras Webster views this weekend as a way to gauge the resiliency and mental toughness of many young players, particularly freshman Alaina Miller and sophomore Kristin Wiley.
The pair competed in the Freeman Memorial Women’s Tennis Championships last weekend in Las Vegas, reaching the quarterfinal of the doubles draw. Though it was their first time playing together, they defeated Paola Artiga and Mercedes Lopez of UNLV 6-4 before falling to the the nation’s No. 4 doubles pair, Giuliana Olmos and Gabby Smith of USC.
READ MORE: Last weekend’s results for the women’s tennis team.
Given that many players are lacking preparation due to injuries and rainouts, Sampras Webster sees a potentially tough weekend ahead, noting that the inexperienced squad is not at full strength.
“I really don’t know about (this weekend), a lot of these girls haven’t played, we’re definitely not at our best right now,” Sampras Webster said. “They need to find a way (to have) great body language, (be) positive, (fight) for every point, and (have) that mental toughness that we need.”
The team has focused on doubles in practice, as partners acclimate to each other in the early season.
“We haven’t had a lot of practice playing doubles and (we want) them to feel comfortable with who they’re playing with this weekend,” Sampras Webster said. “We’ve been playing a lot of points, playing a lot of sets.”
One player to watch for this weekend is two-time doubles All-American, senior Kyle McPhillips, who missed half of last season’s matches with a lower back injury.
“I’m really happy to be out there playing matches and competing,” McPhillips said.
Compiled by Ishan Ayyalasomayajula, Bruin Sports contributor.