OJAI, Calif. – Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer was two games away from upsetting the Wolverines’ No. 5 Julia Fliegner on court one.

The No. 34 junior, playing her first season on the Bruins’ top court, has arguably been playing the best tennis of her life – going undefeated in four prior top-10 ranked matches against Fliegner and Badgers’ No. 9 Maria Sholokhova.

But collegiate tennis isn’t an individual sport.

When No. 33 freshman Kate Fakih fell to the Wolverines’ No. 82 Emily Sartz-Lunde on court four 1-6, 6-4, 1-6, it signaled the end of the Bruins’ run in their inaugural Big Ten tournament and forced Lutkemeyer to leave her match unfinished.

“I just heard that her opponent (Sartz-Lunde) played an amazing third set,” said coach Stella Sampras Webster. “Did not miss – hardly at all – almost like the girl just raised her level and then Kate just couldn’t stay with her.”

And Fakih’s sinking simultaneously wrecked No. 4 seed UCLA women’s tennis’ (16-8, 10-3 Big Ten) run in its first-ever Big Ten tournament, falling to No. 1 seed Michigan (23-3, 13-0) by a score of 4-1 in the semifinal round at Libbey Park on Friday afternoon.

In spite of the loss, No. 66 senior Elise Wagle said she was just savoring every moment.

“This is my last Big Ten conference tournament – first and last,” Wagle said. “I love this tournament – like I said yesterday, I love the town, I love the people, everyone here is so great, the oranges are great – I’m gonna remember this.”

No. 15 seniors Kimmi Hance and Wagle rebounded from a 6-4 doubles loss from the previous match against the Wolverines with a 6-2 victory against No. 20 Jessica Bernales and Lily Jones.

But the Bruins dropped their first doubles point since March 28.

Reese Miller and Fliegner defeated No. 9 freshmen Olivia Center and Fakih 6-3. And Michigan’s Piper Charney and Sartz-Lunde captured their team’s early 1-0 lead with a 6-3 win over sophomore Ahmani Guichard and Lutkemeyer.

Hance then fell to Charney in singles for the second time this season 6-3, 6-1, and Guichard lost to Miller 6-2, 6-1 – thrusting UCLA down a 3-0 hole.

But that’s not to say the Bruins went down without a fight.

While UCLA failed to record a singles win in their March 22 regular-season match against Michigan, Wagle got her team on the board with a 6-4, 6-4 decision over No. 41 Lily Jones, and a path to the title game persisted with Center up 6-4, 4-6, 4-3 over Jessica Bernales and Lutkemeyer ahead 4-6, 6-3, 4-3 over Fliegner.

But that door shut when Fakih – who was named to the 2025 Big Ten All-Freshman team and All-Big Ten second team Wednesday – dropped her first singles match since March 28 and first three-setter all year.

“They’re such a good, solid team – but I felt like we’re good enough to beat them – and that’s what’s so disappointing,” Sampras Webster said. “Few things went our way, I think this could have been turned around and we could have had a chance to win this match.”

Lutkemeyer, a member of this season’s All-Big Ten first team, added that the toughest moments strengthened her perspective on the team’s journey moving forward.

“These matches are really tough,” Lutkemeyer said. “But just at the end of the day, remembering that it’s such a blessing being able to play these matches and have the opportunity to compete – just being grateful and enjoying the journey.”

The Bruins’ season isn’t over, however.

The NCAA tournament commences May 3, with UCLA – which is currently ranked No. 16 in the nation – potentially hosting the first two rounds, a privilege only awarded to the top 16 teams each year.

“We’re still close to being either 16 or 17, I have a feeling,” Sampras Webster said. “I don’t know. Yeah, we’ll find out Monday, I guess.”