Friday, May 22, 1998
UCLA continues NCAA hopes, legacy
MTENNIS: History tells tale of 15 championships, semifinal loss
to Georgia
By Stephanie Chan
Daily Bruin Contributor
It wouldn’t be the NCAA Tournament if the Bruins weren’t there.
Since 1977, when the team format was initiated, the UCLA men’s
tennis team has competed in each NCAA Championship.
The Bruins fought through Region VII Championships last weekend
to gain a bid to the NCAA Championships, held from May 23-26. This
was only the third time the Bruins have had to qualify through
regional play.
UCLA has not only always been in the NCAA tournament, they have
also dominated it. History tells the tale of a record-setting 15
NCAA men’s tennis titles.
The 1998 team has bittersweet memories of the past, however. The
Bruins, favored to win the 1997 NCAA title, lost in the semifinals
to No. 4 Georgia in front of a home crowd. Ironically, this year
Georgia will play host to the NCAA tourney. If UCLA is to face No.
3 seed Georgia again this year, it will not be until the
finals.
The Bruins now focus on the task at hand – the first round. As a
No. 9-12 seed, they will face No. 5-8 seeded Texas. Each of the six
times UCLA and Texas have met, UCLA has claimed victory. Texas
enters the tournament 24-4, while the Bruins enter 16-7.
If they can chalk up victory number seven against Texas on May
23, the Bruins will oppose the winner of the Stanford-Minnesota
match. Stanford (24-0) is the No. 1 seed, the only undefeated team
entering the tournament, and the defending champions, making them
the favorites. The Cardinal are looking to earn their
fourth-consecutive NCAA title.
The Bruins have only played Minnesota (14-12) once, back in
1986, but they are very familiar with the Cardinal team. In their
two meetings this season, Stanford swept the Bruins once and
allowed them to only take one point in the other match.
Besides UCLA and Stanford, two other Pac-10 teams will compete
for the national title. No. 5-8 Southern Cal received an automatic
bid, while No. 9-12 California won the Region V Championship to
earn a spot in the championship bracket.
The 16 team field also includes No. 2 seed Louisiana State
(23-1), No. 4 seed Mississippi State, No. 5-8 Illinois, and No. 5-8
Ole Miss. UCLA lost to Illinois and Mississippi earlier this season
in the National Team Indoor Championships.
Following the team championships, three Bruin singles players
and one doubles team will compete in the individual and doubles
championships. Of the three UCLA players, No. 34 Matt Breen is the
only NCAA Championship veteran in the individual competition. Last
year, Breen fell in the first round to Kentucky’s Ludde Sundin.
No. 11 Vince Allegre and No. 22 Jean-Noel Grinda will make their
first appearances in the individual tourney. The nation’s top 64
collegiate players comprise the field.
Breen and Grinda will also pair up to comprise UCLA’s only
doubles team in the championship. Ranked No. 32, they will compete
in a field of 32 teams.
DERRICK KUDO/Daily Bruin
Alex Decret returns the ball.