Women’s tennis looks to continue winning streak in match against Cal
Redshirt freshman Jada Hart has won five out of her past six singles matches, in addition to winning the past four doubles matches with her partner, freshman Ena Shibahara. (Dayoung Lee/Daily Bruin)
By Angie Forburger
Feb. 23, 2017 11:43 p.m.
From No. 20 to No. 9, UCLA women’s tennis jumped in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Women’s Team Rankings after taking home a victory over then-No. 22 USC for its fourth win in a row this season.
Regardless of the rankings, the Bruins said they remain focused on what’s ahead.
[Related: Women’s tennis defeats USC 4-3 in close competition]
UCLA (6-1) travels to Berkeley on Friday to face No. 18 California (4-2) and then returns home to take on No. 12 Pepperdine (3-3) on Sunday.
As Pac-12 play begins, coach Stella Sampras Webster said she knows how tough the opponents will be, but feels confident about her team.
“We know that Cal is a very strong team, and a highly ranked team, so we’re prepared to expect a higher level of tennis,” Sampras Webster said. “We’re going to be tested to see where we’re at against some of the better players in the country, and we definitely believe we have a chance to win.”
Redshirt freshman Jada Hart has been a weapon for the Bruins, losing only once in her last four singles matches and taking home four consecutive doubles wins with freshman Ena Shibahara.
Hart said she has a strong mindset heading into Friday’s match.
“I think everyone is feeling very confident with the four-match win streak and also confident in our games individually,” she said. “We’re all keeping up the same mentality to start with great energy going into both the singles and doubles.”
That energy and spirit, several team members said, has kept it focused and allowed it to play at a high level against top teams.
For sophomore Alaina Miller, mental focus is key. Blocking out nerves and being confident is when she plays her best tennis, she said.
Preparing to take on familiar opponents within the Pac-12, the Bruins’ mentality is no different than when they face non-conference teams.
“I think we’ve been doing well outside of conference, just going with the flow and playing the matches,” Miller said. “I think the best approach is just keeping the same mindset of not focusing on who we’re playing, but how we’re playing.”
The Golden Bears bring strong competition in singles, with No. 23 Karla Popovic, No. 47 Maegan Manasse and No. 90 Olivia Hauger in the lineup.
The Bruins will also be tested in doubles by the No. 25 duo of Manasse and Maya Jansen and the pair of Popovic and Hauger, ranked No. 50.
Strategy is key when facing Pac-12 opponents, said Sampras Webster. She said the difference in conference matches is being able to establish better game plans.
As the Bruins hope to continue a successful start to their season, staying healthy is always a factor.
“I don’t think we have any weaknesses in our game or mentally,” Miller said. “We’re all very strong, so I think what really helps is just staying healthy, which is hard to do for a whole six months.”
Ranked ninth in the country, Bruins said they must continue to prove themselves, as each match will be a test.
“Our matchup against Cal is going to see where we stand right now and how we’re going to feel going into conference matches,” Hart said. “Playing Cal, which is a very tough Pac-12 team, is exciting, and it should be a big confidence booster if we’re able to get the win.”
The Pepperdine match was previously scheduled for Feb. 17, but it was rained out. The Bruins own a 54-14 record all-time versus the Waves, but Pepperdine won 6-1 in last season’s matchup.
