Tennis next on UCLA’s ‘Beat ‘SC’ list

Friday, February 13, 1998

Tennis next on UCLA’s ‘Beat ‘SC’ list

MTENNIS: Crosstown rivalry hotter than usual as teams jockey for
No. 1

By Stephanie Chan

Daily Bruin Contributor

Football? Check! Basketball? Check! Volleyball? Check! Blood
Bowl? Check! Next up on the "Beat ‘SC" agenda is men’s tennis.

The Bruins face USC today in the land of Troy at 1:30 p.m.

"We’re always fired up to play against (the Trojans)," said UCLA
head coach Billy Martin.

There are definite reasons for the Bruins to be fired up. The
big rivalry is a given, but the elbow-knocking involved in
establishing reign over the Pac-10 is a factor as well.

Right now, UCLA is the Pac-10 No. 2 and USC is the Pac-10 No. 3.
Both teams are undefeated with identical records of 6-0.

Those records will not be the same for long.

In the 1997 season play, Southern Cal had two opportunities to
hand UCLA its first Pac-10 loss, but failed in both.

First,on March 13, 1997, the Bruins won the tug-of-war at home
4-3. Then on April 11, 1997, the Bruins again defeated the Trojans
6-1, this time at Southern Cal.

UCLA will depend on players Jean-Noel Grinda, Vince Allegre,
Matt Breen, Alex Decret, Brandon Kramer, and Chris Sands to carry
the big pencil that will hopefully check off the tennis box on the
beat USC agenda.

The Bruins have defeated the Trojans 47 times in dual matches
since 1967. USC, by contrast,has taken 28 of the matches since
1967.

The Trojans will be looking to veterans No. 98 Patrick
Gottesleben and No. 44 Kyle Spencer to make it 29.