DAVE HILL/Daily Bruin Senior Staff Freshman
Mariko Fritz-Krockow keeps her eye on the ball in
a match earlier this year. Washington 4 UCLA 3
Washington State 4 UCLA 3
By Hannah Gordon
Daily Bruin Contributor
The women’s tennis team made history over the weekend, but
not the kind they wanted. The Bruins lost for the first time ever
to Washington and Washington State, 4-3 in both matches.
“It’s hard to lose 4-3; it’s
frustrating,” Head Coach Stella Sampras said.
In Seattle, the Huskies took the doubles point as Washington
senior Kristina Kraszewski and sophomore Darija Klaic upset 18th-
ranked freshman Lauren Fisher and junior Petya Marinova, 8-6, at
the No. 1 spot.
“Playing No. 1 is hard and they have come across some
tough matches,” Sampras said of her top doubles team.
UCLA’s senior Jennifer Donahue and junior Catherine Hawley
lost 8-4 at the No. 3 position. The bright spot in doubles was at
No. 2 where sophomore Sara Walker and freshman Mariko Fritz-Krockow
teamed up to defeat freshman Claire Carter and junior Ilona
Kordonskaya 8-4.
After losing the doubles point, UCLA matched Washington’s
strength in singles by winning three of the six singles
matches.
At No. 1, sophomore Sara Walker, who is ranked No. 17
nationally, battled Washington’s Kraszewski, No. 8, and lost
the first set 6-4. Walker, who recently returned from a foot
injury, came back to tie the second set, but lost in the tiebreaker
7-6(2).
“Sara is healthy but she just needs some matches to get
back into it,” Sampras said.
At the No. 2 position, Hawley lost 6-4, 6-4 to
Washington’s Carter, ranked No. 39. Washington’s
sophomore Colleen Gray defeated Donahue at the No. 6 position 6-1,
6-1.
Marinova, Fisher and Fritz-Krockow who have all been playing
well lately, earned UCLA’s three points in the match.
Marinova, ranked No. 84, beat Washington’s Kordonskaya in two
sets, 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 3 position.
At No. 4, Fisher rallied from a loss in the first set to defeat
Washington’s Boisclair 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
“I just want to keep playing like I have,”
Fritz-Krockow said before the matches. She accomplished her goal as
she beat Washington’s Coulter 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 at the No. 5
spot.
After the 4-3 loss, UCLA moved on to Washington State where they
again posted a close 4-3 decision.
Doubles went the same as the day before as Fisher and Marinova
were upset for the second time by Washington State’s senior
Ana Moura and freshman Stacy McKenna, 8-5 at the No. 1 spot.
At No. 2, Walker and Fritz-Krockow again defeated their
opponents 8-6.
“Sara and Mariko just keep getting better and
better,” Sampras said.
At No. 3, Donahue and Hawley lost 8-3 allowing Washington State
to enter singles with a 1-0 advantage.
Walker performed better Saturday against No. 35 Perkins earning
a decisive 6-4, 6-2 victory.
The freshmen continued to shine at the No. 4 and No. 5
positions. At No. 4, Fisher disposed of Washington State’s
freshman Zorana Roganovic 6-2, 6-2. At No. 5 Fritz-Krockow defeated
Filipovic 6-3, 7-5.
At No. 3, Marinova lost to Moura 6-2, 6-2.
The match was tied 3-3, and all eyes were on the No. 3 position,
the only one to go into a third set.
“I knew it came down to my match, but I put more pressure
on myself,” Hawley said.
Hawley had won her first set 6-0, but McKenna and the Cougars
would not be beaten so easily.
“She played better in the second set,” Hawley
continued, “I probably rushed a bit.
“In the third set I had control but she crept back
in.”
McKenna took the third set defeating Hawley 0-6, 6-1, 7-5.
“Stacy (McKenna) had an awesome performance,”
Washington State Head Coach Cari Groce said.
“I was a little worried when she was down because she
doesn’t do well when she’s behind. When I saw her
pumping herself up, I knew that things were about to go our
way.”
With the losses, No. 38 UCLA drops to 5-16 overall, 2-5 Pac-10.
UCLA’s next match is Friday at 1:30 pm against Cal at the
LATC.