With the rain that once dampened their season now nowhere in sight, the Bruins have caught fire.

Following a first-round bye, No. 5 seed UCLA women’s tennis (13-6, 6-4 Pac-12) is set to embark on its quest for a conference tournament title on Thursday. Seeking redemption for a 4-3 loss earlier in the season, the blue and gold will face off against No. 4 seed Washington (16-7, 6-4 Pac-12) to begin postseason play, now having won seven of its last eight matches.

Coach Stella Sampras Webster said the team has shown remarkable improvement since falling to the Huskies, attributing the Bruins’ success to a strong work ethic.

“You could just see they got stronger and fitter,” Sampras Webster said. “They had some really good matches and built some confidence. Once they got that confidence, it was a different team.”

Indeed, UCLA has come a long way since ITA Kickoff Weekend, where it suffered losses against then-No. 24 Iowa State and unranked Florida International. With mediocre performances in the subsequent handful of games, the Bruins’ No. 18 ranking dropped to a paltry No. 64 following their loss against the Huskies a month later.

UCLA managed to turn things around mid-March, emerging victorious against then-No. 4 Ohio State, followed up with a decisive 4-1 win against rival USC. Despite encountering setbacks with consecutive losses to California and then-No. 18 Stanford, the blue and gold rebounded with a top-five win against Pepperdine.

Since then, the Bruins finished their regular season on a high note, capping a four-match winning streak with a second victory against the Trojans.

“It feels good winning, especially against USC,” said No. 115 sophomore Kimmi Hance. “It hasn’t been the same person clinching every time. It’s been (senior) Sasha (Vagramov), (No. 14 freshman Fangran) Tian, me. We all trust each other so much.”

This ability to steadfastly rely on one another is particularly evident in its dual-doubles success, as the team has won 35 of its 45 completed matches. The tandem of Hance and sophomore Elise Wagle currently sits at No. 4 in the country, while the freshmen pair of Tian and Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer remains undefeated at 8-0.

“We will always support each other, win or loss,” Tian said. “It’s our strength. We will never play as an individual; we will always play as a team.”

In UCLA’s loss to Washington earlier this season, Tian put her singles skills on display, winning her final six games and mounting a comeback in three sets.

Despite the fact that many of Tian’s singles victories did not translate into team wins, Sampras Webster said she is confident in the Bruins’ collective ability to take on the Huskies once again.

“We just take care of what we can control,” Sampras Webster said. “That’s just focusing on our games, our attitudes, and our efforts out there. They’re a very small team and a close team. They have bonded well, … and they’ve come a long way.”

Hance reiterated her coach’s statements and said she and her team are ready to give the Pac-12 championships their all.

“The Pac-12s are the best time of year,” Hance said. “It’s always a great environment, great competition. We know we can do it, now just taking it into the tournament and believing in ourselves.”