MOHAMMAD ALAVI Freshman Lauren Fischer
slams the ball in a match versus Texas last week.
By Hannah Gordon
Daily Bruin Contributor
When UCLA beat Arizona and Arizona State at the end of January,
the season seemed to be getting off to a perfect start. The team
was 2-0 and moved up to the No. 7 ranking while bumping Arizona
State down to No. 9.
Since then, Arizona State has bounced back from the loss with
eight straight wins while UCLA has slipped. While the Sun Devils
improved to 9-3 on the season, UCLA has gone 3-9. Arizona State
maintains its top-ten position back at No. 7, but UCLA has fallen
to No. 32.
These changes are on the minds of the UCLA women’s tennis
team as they travel to Arizona for a rematch this weekend. Yet the
players remain determined as they have throughout their recent
losing streak.
“We are set on beating Arizona and Arizona State,”
freshman Mariko Fritz-Krockow said. “We beat them last time
so we are confident we can do it again.”
This determination impresses Head Coach Stella Sampras.
“They’re still working hard, coming back and
believing we can still have a successful season. That’s what
I’m impressed with,” Sampras said.
The desert schools will be just as determined to avenge
themselves of their early season loss.
The home-court advantage may play a key role this weekend given
that Arizona State is undefeated at home, sweeping every match.
While the Bruins have been struggling to overcome injuries and
ensuing line-up changes, they have been improving lately. Although
they lost both of their matches this weekend, UCLA swept doubles
against Miami for a close 4-3 match.
“Everyone is starting to play better. Now we are stepping
up in doubles,” junior Petya Marinova said.
Marinova has been the strongest player during the team’s
recent slump earning a No. 69 singles ranking. She has won all of
her last five matches and hopes to go undefeated this weekend.
UCLA’s No. 1 singles player, sophomore Sara Walker, ranked
14th nationally, may be able to play this weekend. After being out
for a month with a foot injury, Walker has been playing doubles and
sometimes singles for about two weeks.
Given that Arizona State’s No. 1 player, Adria Engel, is
ranked No. 12, Walker’s presence will be a great help in
their attempts to beat the desert schools again.