Women’s tennis boosts schedule with back-to-back weekend matches

It was the third and final set of the deciding match, and the score was 5-2 in favor of Fresno State’s Galina Bykova. But freshman Alaina Miller hadn’t given up.

Miller rallied to force an eighth game and was just two points shy of forcing a ninth, but her next two serves wouldn’t clear the net, resulting in a double fault and a victory for the Bulldogs.

With the late January defeat, the Bruins failed to qualify for ITA National Women’s Team Indoors Championships for the first time in more than 10 years. Coach Stella Sampras Webster knew she had to find a way to get the team more matches before conference play arrives next month.

To do this, Sampras Webster did something she had never done before in the regular season during her 20-year tenure at UCLA: She scheduled two dual matches against different opponents for one day.

“It is rare for us, but the rest of the country does it all the time. Some play three matches in one day,” Sampras Webster said. “I’m not saying it is something we will continue to do, but I try to do the best I can to make sure we have the strongest schedule to give us the highest seed we can for NCAAs.”

No. 21 UCLA (3-1) will host both UC Davis (3-2) and Cal State Northridge (2-3) at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on Saturday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

The Bruins are riding their first win streak of the season after their smooth 6-1 victory over the No. 25 Northwestern Wildcats on Sunday. Although the upcoming matches are against unranked opponents, the time frame will present a formidable challenge to the Bruins’ physical and mental fitness that many players haven’t experienced since junior tournaments prior to college.

“I did four matches a day, but that was a really long time ago,” Miller said. “Coaches have prepared us. (We are) getting more repetition and getting more cardio to get our endurance up.”

NOTEBOOK: A look at UCLA’s pair of unique two-handed players.

The Bruins have not been strenuously challenged by their opponents this season in terms of fitness, Sampras Webster said. Just four of the 21 finished singles matches played this season have gone to three sets.

“We haven’t been pushed that much because we haven’t had to play three sets,” Sampras Webster said. “But there is no reason why they can’t go in there and just dominate.”

For many of the Bruins, this week has been more intensive in preparation for a difficult stretch of matches following this weekend, featuring bouts against No. 1 Cal, No. 17 Pepperdine, No. 11 USC and No. 29 Baylor. In comparison to past practices, this week’s practices implemented more running, mental obstacles and strenuous drills involving rotation between three courts.

But for junior Kelly Shaffer, who recently returned from a prolonged hip injury, this week focused on returning her to a standard form and fitness.

“My hip is significantly better, so I am just working overall on getting fitter, and my tennis will come with it,” Shaffer said. “I am pretty happy with how I played (last match). My opponent had a good record and it makes me confident that I can get back to 100 percent fairly soon.”