Bruins prosper in heated match

Thursday, January 28, 1999

Bruins prosper in heated match

RECAP: Women face test from feisty team; pull out decisive
win

By Audrey Jing

Daily Bruin Contributor

The Toreros of the University of San Diego tried everything to
rattle the No. 8 UCLA women’s tennis team in Wednesday’s dual match
at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

They threw the nation’s top player out on the court and pushed
three Bruins to tough three-set matches. But in the end, nothing
could shake the Bruins as they claimed an 8-1 victory and sent the
Toreros out of the ring.

"This (USD) team has always been feisty," coach Stella Sampras
said. "They don’t have as much talent as we do, but they try really
hard. I knew they weren’t just going to lie down because they were
playing UCLA."

UCLA answered its competitors’ spirit with a little
determination of its own. The Bruins took an early lead with big
singles wins from No. 2 Annica Cooper, No. 5 Katia Roubanova and
No. 6 Petya Marinova.

Despite having three matches locked away, the Bruins still had
three tough ones to go, as No. 1 Cristina Popescu, No. 3 Amanda
Basica and No. 4 Brandi Freudenberg were all sent to a third
set.

Popescu, who was up against the nation’s top-ranked player,
Zuzana Lesenerova, dropped her first set 4-6 before coming back to
win the second set, 6-1. She lost the deciding set 2-6.

After Basica defeated opponent Katrina Valkyova 6-1, 2-6, 6-3,
all eyes turned to the fourth singles match between Freudenberg and
USD freshman Paola Arrangoiz. With the Bruins up 4-1, a UCLA win
would clinch the victory.

"I didn’t know the score except for that our five and six
(players) both won," Freudenberg said. "I just wanted to win it
really badly."

Freudenberg hung onto an early lead in the third set to take the
match 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

With the team’s goal of "winning it in singles" accomplished,
the Bruins could rest easy in doubles action.

"We like to do it in singles so our doubles teams can work on
things in our game rather than be pressured to win," Freudenberg
said.

The duo of Basica and Cooper won 8-4, Freudenberg and Roubanova
won 8-3, and Marinova and Popescu won 8-3.

"I’m glad this team tested us," Sampras said. "We got some good
competition. It was a perfect match to play going in to Pac-10
matches."

The Bruins begin Pac-10 action when the Arizona schools travel
to town this weekend. They face unranked Arizona tomorrow and
twelfth ranked Arizona State on Saturday.

AARON MICHAEL TOUT

Brandy Freudenberg returns a volley against USD.

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