No. 1 UCLA women's tennis boosts confidence with win over Washington State to open Pac-12 play
By Emilio Ronquillo
March 11, 2012 7:21 p.m.
Following UCLA’s victory Friday, the women’s tennis team celebrated Stella Sampras Webster’s birthday in a traditional fashion: surprise singing complete with cake, flowers and a team-signed card.
Though the 7-0 score of UCLA’s Pac-12 season opener played out just as familiarly as possible for the No. 1 Bruins, Sampras Webster was treated to seeing something she hadn’t all season. Her two seniors, McCall Jones and Carling Seguso, won a singles point in the same match for the first time this year.
With Sampras Webster’s young daughters chanting her name from the bleachers, Jones clinched her match after winning the second set 6-4 by rallying to erase a 0-30 deficit in her final game. The senior tied the game at 30 after closing in at the net and smashing a Washington State lob.
After gaining advantage when her opponent skipped the ball past the baseline, Jones drove the ball and the Cougar to the left corner and forced a backhand into the net, earning the senior her first win since early February.
“I needed the one win to help boost me through the rest of the season. I had a couple of really tough matches in a row. She was a good player, but for me to finally play my game … and win, instead of playing well and losing, it’s a different feeling,” said Jones, who recorded her second victory in five decisions.
Seguso, whose foot injury has restricted her to doubles play since January, showed little signs of rust in claiming a 6-3, 6-1 victory. Despite earning the win, Seguso felt that her game still has a ways to go, and regaining top form will not come gift-wrapped for her.
“I was really nervous at first, because a lot of tennis is based off of experience and your confidence. I mean, I’ve been playing well, but my movement, I’m still a little hesitant on it,” Seguso said.
Seguso’s successful return to singles action failed to surprise Sampras Webster, who utilized the matchup to monitor the senior’s progress.
“She’s been practicing and playing well this whole week … (the coaching staff was) hoping that she would be able to play singles … (so we could) test her out, see where she’s at,” Sampras Webster said.
UCLA’s victory consisted of straight-set singles victories on all courts and consecutive doubles wins. The lone smear on an otherwise stellar performance was an 8-5 doubles loss by Jones and junior Pamela Montez. Seeing a letdown by the well-balanced tandem such as Jones and Montez caught Sampras Webster off guard, but she does not expect struggles for the duo to become the norm.
“Today was not a good indication of where Pam and McCall can be, because they were much stronger at practice than what they showed today. They should be a good combination, with Pam volleying and being the attacker, and McCall just being really solid from the backcourt.
“They have the game to compliment each other, and they get along. I don’t know how much I’m going to take out of today.”
