By Hannah Gordon
Daily Bruin Contributor
The Huskies and Cougars better watch out because the Bruins are
ready to upset. In contrast to the mental and physical exhaustion
the team felt last week when departing for the Bay Area, this week
the women’s tennis team is confident and prepared.
No. 38 UCLA plays No. 13 Washington today in Seattle and No. 30
Washington State tomorrow in Pullman.
“Before, some people would play well, then other people
would, but now everybody is playing well at the same time,”
junior Petya Marinova said. “Even though I didn’t win
my last two matches, I feel good.”
Although the team lost to Stanford and Cal last weekend, their
performance was solid against some of the best players in the
nation.
“I am encouraged after last week,” Head Coach Stella
Sampras said. “We are ready to play.”
Freshmen Mariko Fritz-Krockow and Lauren Fisher provided
UCLA’s only two points in the Cal match, winning their
singles matches 7-6, 7-6 and 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 respectively, and
gaining confidence for this weekend.
“I just want to keep playing like I have,”
Fritz-Krockow said. “If we keep up what we’ve been
doing, the results will come.”
Fisher agreed.
“Last weekend improved my confidence,” she said.
“Playing tons of matches has helped us get it together so we
can all play well.”
Although the Bruins are feeling positive, the Huskies and
Cougars are on a high as well. Washington boasts an impressive 16-6
(6-1 Pac-10) record, including a win over Cal.
Washington State is at its highest ranking of the season after
beating Arizona State for the first time. They boast the
nation’s No. 34 singles player, junior Erica Perkins.
Although sophomore Sara Walker is ranked higher, at No. 17, it is
uncertain whether or not she will play due to a foot injury.
Washington State claims the No. 48 and No. 49 doubles rankings,
but UCLA’s No. 1 doubles team of Marinova and Fisher is
ranked at No. 18.
Both northwestern teams may feel unusually competitive this
weekend because they are also taking on No. 19 USC, whom they have
never defeated.
Playing in Washington also poses the problem of indoor courts.
The team will not know until the day of the match whether or not
they can play outdoors depending on the weather.
“We don’t practice indoors often, but hopefully
going a day early will help,” Marinova said.
Coach Sampras sees the uncertainty as a challenge but one that
the team is up to.
“This weekend will be interesting because we don’t
know if we will play indoors or outdoors. We have to deal with that
adversity but we have dealt with a lot of it this year,” she
said.
Rain or shine, the Bruins will be ready.