Tuesday, April 7, 1998
UCLA put to the test against Cardinal, Bear powerhouses
M. TENNIS: Northern California teams prevail as No. 8 Bruins
take two losses on the road
By Stephanie Chan
Daily Bruin Contributor
Right after finals, the No. 8 UCLA men’s tennis team faced a
test of a different kind as they headed up north to battle No. 1
Stanford and No. 3 California. Unfortunately, they did not pass
with flying colors. The colors that waved last weekend were
Cardinal red, and the Bears’ blue and gold.
Stanford handed the Bruins their first sweep of the season. The
Cardinal showed why it has secured the top ranking in college
tennis, taking four of the six singles matches in four sets.
Stanford’s No. 1 Paul Goldstein handed Jean-Noel Grinda his
third loss of the season, 7-6, 6-3.
Stanford’s Ryan Wolters captured the No. 2 match, defeating
Vince Allegre 6-2, 7-5.
Matt Breen fell to Stanford’s Mike Bryan, 7-5, 6-4.
Alex Decret was able to extend his match to three sets, but
ultimately lost to Stanford’s Bob Bryan, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Brandon Kramer and Jason Cook, both coming off injuries, could
not fend off the Cardinal charge. Stanford’s Geoff Abrams defeated
Kramer, 6-1, 6-3, while Stanford’s Alex Kim defeated Cook, 6-4,
6-7, 6-3.
Stanford’s brother team of Bryan and Bryan captured the victory
in doubles over Grinda and Breen.
The doubles point was decided in the Cardinal’s favor after a
close match between Stanford’s Goldstein and Wolters, and Decret
and Kramer. The score settled at 9-8 Stanford.
Part B of the Bruins test came against the California Golden
Bears. The victory belonged in the paws of the Bears, 4-3.
UCLA claimed victories in the 1-3 positions. Grinda and Breen
had decisive victories; Grinda over Cal’s Bobby Mahal 6-4, 6-2 and
Breen over Cal’s Minh Le 6-2, 6-0.
Allegre put up UCLA’s third point, defeating Cal’s Nathan
Jackmon 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, but the day already belonged to the
Bears.
The Bears drew their strength from the 4-6 positions and doubles
play.
The Bears’ solid doubles play gave them the edge as they took
two of three matches. Cal’s teams of Mahal and Jackmon and Barnes
and Scott Kintz claimed the doubles points, defeating the tandems
of Grinda and Breen, and Allegre and Cook, respectively.
The Bruins avoided the doubles sweep with Decret and Kramer
slipping by Cal’s Eric Dmytruk and Le, 9-8.
Cal’s Adrian Barnes led the singles attack defeating Decret 6-3,
6-1. Cal’s Kian Raiszadeh held Kramer back for a 6-3, 6-3
victory.
The deciding match found its way to Court No. 6: Cal’s David
Sutton vs. Jason Cook. Though Cook pulled the match into three
sets, Sutton earned the win, 6-1, 2-6, 7-5.
The Bruins will again meet Cal and Stanford in the Los Angeles
Tennis Center April 17-18.