Victory slipped through the Bruins’ fingers over a month ago at David X. Marks Tennis Stadium.

But 40 days later, the squad exacted revenge on its home court.

Students shuffled past each other on the concourse. Some were stagnant on the walkway. The UCLA band’s horns and percussion instruments echoed throughout the Los Angeles Tennis Center on Wednesday afternoon. Players rallied back and forth in combat.

“They’re always fighting,” one spectator said.

Then, it seemed like all eyes turned to court four.

No. 41 freshman Kate Fakih was up 40-30, 5-3 in the second set, with teammates cheering on both sides of court six. Fakih’s opponent, Lily Fairclough, challenged an out-of-bounds call with the chair umpire, but nothing the Trojan did – with her tongue or her racket – could stop the inevitable.

After a tightly contested rally, Fakih clinched match point 7-6(5), 6-4 before her teammates swarmed the court in celebration, as No. 19 UCLA women’s tennis (13-7, 8-3 Big Ten) came out on top 4-2 against No. 16 USC (13-6, 7-4).

“It was like the best feeling ever,” Fakih said. “There’s nothing quite like it.”

No. 18 Elise Wagle and Kimmi Hance took down No. 10 Fairclough and Grace Piper 6-4 on court one in doubles – the senior duo’s third consecutive win and first against a top-10 doubles opponent this season.

No. 6 freshman duo Olivia Center and Fakih captured the doubles point against Jana Hossam and Sloane Morra 6-2 to lock in a 1-0 Bruin lead.

Coach Stella Sampras Webster said the doubles point was more than an early advantage, but a response to when the Bruins surrendered the doubles point – something they’ve done just three times this season – to the Trojans on March 7.

“I was super happy with the way we came out in doubles,” Sampras Webster said. “It was huge for us after getting blown out at their place a month ago.”

But the Trojans didn’t go down without a fight.

No. 26 junior Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer fell to Piper 6-1, 7-5, in singles, evening the score. Lutkemeyer was not the only Bruin to take a blow, as sophomore Ahmani Guichard lost 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to Hossam.

However, Center and No. 106 Hance rallied for back-to-back singles wins, setting up Fakih to hammer in the nail in the coffin.

Hance said she and No. 63 Wagle put their team captains’ hats on at Tuesday night’s team dinner to fuel the Bruins after their previous 4-3 loss to the Trojans.

“We can play with that sort of vengeance and motivation under our belts,” Hance said. “Everyone came out super hot, and we had something to prove today.”

With a bout against Maryland on Friday and a Senior Day battle against Rutgers on Sunday, UCLA has just two regular-season matches left to prove itself worthy to host the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.

“It makes a big difference when you can be at home,” Sampras Webster said. “That’s what we’re playing for right now – trying to win as many matches as we can with the regular season and then with the conference tournament.”