Squad sweeps through desert, wins two

  MIKE CHIEN No. 2 singles player Catherine
Hawley hits a backhand during her 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 win that
gave UCLA the victory over ASU. UCLA d. ASU 4-3
UCLA d. ARIZONA 6-1

By Hannah Gordon
Daily Bruin Contributor

The entire UCLA-Arizona State match was decided by UCLA No. 2
singles junior Catherine Hawley and ASU’s Karin Palme. ASU
and UCLA were tied 3-3 after the doubles and five of six singles
matches. Hawley defeated Palme in the first set 6-1, but fell 4-6
in the second set. The score was tied 6-6 in the last set.

As the tie-breaker began, UCLA gathered at one side of the court
to cheer their teammate. Hawley responded by winning the match for
her team, defeating her opponent 7-4 in the tie-breaker. Her
teammates started an ecstatic 8-clap, their bond obvious to any
spectator.

“I loved it,” Hawley said. “I relish the
support. It’s a great environment to play in. That’s
why people come to UCLA.”

Head coach Stella Sampras agreed. “This is the first year
I’ve felt that camaraderie. It’s what it’s all
about.”

Sampras was pleased with Hawley’s performance:
“Catherine was great. She kept her cool under the
pressure.”

ASU and UCLA, ranked No. 7 and No. 9 respectively, both knew the
match would be a close one.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Sampras said.
“But we’d been practicing hard. Conditioning hard. I
knew UCLA would compete hard.”

ASU volunteer assistant coach Ford Oliver was likewise prepared
for a tough match. “We knew it was going to be a
dogfight,” he said.

Under the new format, doubles play first with only one point to
be won, thus the total match was best of seven points. UCLA lost
the doubles point, 1-2. Freshman Lauren Fisher and junior Petya
Marinova won 8-4 while sophomore Sara Walker and senior Zana
Zlebnik, along with senior Jennifer Donahue and freshman Mariko
Fritz-Krockow, were both defeated 8-3.

“ASU had very good doubles. We need to improve our
doubles,” Sampras said.

Walker also felt she and Zlebnik did not play their best.

“We were a little off. A little too excited,” she
said.

Feelings about the new format are mixed. Sampras likes the
format because it puts the focus on coming out strong in singles.
Walker also likes playing doubles first because it is “easier
to get out nerves.”

ASU’s Oliver, on the other hand, dislikes the new
format.

“I hate it. I don’t like one girl being out there
alone,” he said. Oliver likes ending with doubles because
they are faster and everyone is on the court together. He also
dislikes the new scoring because there is no advantage for sweeping
doubles.

After losing the doubles point, UCLA came out ready to win in
singles. No. 1 Walker played aggressively and with confidence. She
defeated ASU’s Adria Engel 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. On her failure to
put away Engel in the second set, Walker said she “probably
could have. (I) probably should have, but I lost a little
energy.”

At No. 3 singles, Zlebnik was defeated 6-1, 6-2 by Megan Yeats
while No. 6 Fritz-Krockow fell to Cindy Sureephong 2-6, 6-0, 6-1.
No. 5 Fisher beat ASU’s Mhairi Brown 7-5, 0-6, 6-1 and No. 4
Marinova beat Faye DeVera 6 3, 7-6.

UCLA’s 4-3 victory was surprising given that the team is
young and in the process of rebuilding after graduating three
All-American seniors last season. One of those All-Americans,
Annica Cooper, said that she knew the team would come through in
the end of the season, but had not expected to see them play so
well already.

“To see them pull through gives a lot of
confidence,” she said.

The match was the first of the season after Friday’s match
with Arizona was rescheduled for Sunday because of the rain.

On Sunday, the Bruins showed that the ASU victory was no fluke,
defeating the Wildcats 6-1.

The Bruins dominated from the beginning and never let up. After
sweeping the doubles, UCLA came through in singles, winning all but
the No. 3 spot.

In this match, though, the Nos. 4-6 singles led the way, all
posting easy victories before the Nos. 1-3 could finish. The match
ended with No. 1 singles player Walker putting away Arizona 7-5 in
the second set.

UCLA next home match is Feb. 8 against UC Irvine.

With contributions by Jason Ebin, Daily Bruin Contributor.