Women’s tennis defeats Utah, secures semifinals spot in final Pac-12 championship
Junior Elise Wagle pumps her fist in celebration. Wagle won her singles match against the Utes on Thursday afternoon, sending the Bruins to the semifinals. (Jeremy Chen/Photo editor)
Women's Tennis
| No. 1 UCLA | 4 |
| No. 8 Utah | 1 |
By Chloe Agas
April 26, 2024 3:33 p.m.
This post was updated April 26 at 7:36 p.m.
OJAI, Calif. — Déjà vu teetered on the edge during Thursday’s bout.
The Bruins surrendered to a sweep in last year’s Pac-12 quarterfinal in Ojai.
But Elise Wagle – one of three Bruins to succumb to a straight-set singles loss in that match – reversed history for herself and her team.
No. 1 seed UCLA women’s tennis (17-4, 9-1 Pac-12) took down No. 8 seed Utah (11-10, 3-7) 4-1 in the quarterfinal round of the last-ever Pac-12 championships. Wagle inked the scoresheet Thursday afternoon with a 6-0, 6-4 victory, making it her third time to do so this season.
After the junior unfurled a backhand over the net, Utah’s Kaila Barksdale attempted a return, but the odds worked in the former’s favor to punch UCLA’s ticket to the Pac-12 semifinal against California on Friday.
Not only was it a comeback for the team after last season, but it was also one for redshirt senior Sasha Vagramov. The last time the veteran took part in a doubles affair was March 15 against Arizona State.
Vagramov, along with her doubles partner freshman Ahmani Guichard, clinched the win against Utah’s Yuhan Liu and Kat Lyman 6-3 at the Weil Tennis Academy.
Coach Stella Sampras Webster said Vagramov glues the team together.
“Sasha is such a force,” Sampras Webster said. “Sasha has been doing such a great job with this team, her leadership and just keeping the team focused.”
Junior Kimmi Hance and sophomore Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer added to UCLA’s tally with a 6-3 win over Utah’s Sara Akid and Emma Kamper, etching in the duo’s seventh consecutive doubles win of the season.
In singles action, Lutkemeyer brought out the brooms to set UCLA’s stage, clinching her first set 6-0.
Lutkemeyer said although their courts were both situated away from the rest, Sampras Webster’s positivity provided her and Guichard unwavering support.
“It was great having Stella with us down there,” Lutkemeyer said. “Even though we’re a little bit separate from everyone else, I think we both felt supported.”
But for her doubles partner, replicating the same success proved challenging, as Utah’s Marcela Lopez was up five games against Hance in the first set 6-1 and then nailed down a tiebreak in the second and final set.
Following Lutkemeyer’s victory, sophomore Tian Fangran propelled the Bruins to a 3-1 lead against the Utes.
