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For UCLA women’s tennis, USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships are about the experience

Women’s tennis

National Indoor Championships
Today through Monday
Charlottesville, Va.
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No. 7 UCLA heads to Virginia to face the top teams in the country at Indoors. The Bruins open against No. 12 Clemson.

By Daniel Khayat

Feb. 18, 2011 2:38 a.m.

When the UCLA women’s tennis team starts play at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships today, it will do so with a considerable amount of experience of what it feels like to win the tournament.

True, the Bruins have never taken home the title in the tournament’s 22-year history, but two members of the team have reached the pinnacle ““ albeit with another school.

Seniors Noelle Hickey and Maya Johansson won the title with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 2008, their freshman year, and Hickey maintains that it is a memory she will not soon forget.

“Maya and I remember that feeling, and it is one that we want again,” Hickey said. “Maya and I will probably have a few words with everybody and let them know what it feels like to win.”

To balance things out, the No. 7 Bruins (6-2) will have a couple of Indoors novices playing prominent roles as well when they take to the courts against No. 12 Clemson (8-1) at the Boar’s Head Sports Club near the campus of the University of Virginia.

Freshman Courtney Dolehide will experience collegiate tournament play for the first time, as will junior transfer McCall Jones, whose teams at BYU never qualified for the tournament.

“I’ve heard only positive things about (Indoors),” Jones said. “Some people on the team have even said it’s better than (the NCAA Tournament). I’m just really excited to see how we do and how we compete against all the top teams.”

After upsetting then-No. 6 Miami as an unseeded team in the first round of last year’s tournament, the then-No. 12 Bruins fell 4-3 to then-No. 3 California in the quarterfinals before winning their consolation match against the then-No. 4 Florida Gators, 4-1.

This year, the tables will be turned, as UCLA finds itself as one of the teams with a target on its back. Coach Stella Sampras Webster is counting on the experience of her senior leaders to guide her team through the difficult road ahead.

“We’ve got three seniors, and this is their last shot,” Sampras Webster said. “Experience is really on our side, so it will be exciting. Top teams can deliver at a high level throughout a match.”

Although senior Andrea Remynse has never lifted the Indoors trophy, she is the only remaining member of UCLA’s 2008 National Champion squad, adding to the championship pedigree of Hickey and Johansson.

One challenge the Bruins will have to face is the overall increase in the talent of their opposition, not to mention how tightly packed the schedule is.

The Bruins will play a minimum of three matches in three days, with a fourth if they reach the semifinals. In addition, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament is No. 23 Virginia. The highest-ranked team the Bruins have beaten this season is No. 38 San Diego.

“The top 16 teams are going to be a little bit tougher than what we’ve been facing,” Hickey said. “More balls will come back, and they’ll be hit harder, and with more spin.”

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Daniel Khayat
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