Women's Tennis Overcome by Washington
LOS ANGELES – The No. 4 UCLA women's tennis team was overcome down the stretch Saturday by Washington, which captured a 4-3 win at Los Angeles Tennis Center to earn a spot in the field for February's ITA National Team Indoor Championships.
The Bruins (1-2) collected the first three wins in singles play after dropping the doubles point, but could not shut the door. Nika Zupancic clinched the victory for the Huskies (4-0). Ava Catanzarite, Abbey Forbes and Elise Wagle accounted for UCLA's three points.
Wagle and Elysia Bolton dealt Hikaru Sato and Vanessa Wong a 6-3 loss on the top court, putting the Bruins just a second win away the day's first point. Washington would pull even, though, thanks to the second-court efforts of Zupancic and Sarah-Maude Fortin. The 7-5 result put the focus on Court 3. Kelly Leung and Zoey Weil of Washington recovered from an early deficit against Ong and Vagramov to force a tiebreaker, which the Huskies took by a 7-5 score.
No. 68 Forbes sped through her first set with Wong on the top singles court and kept her opponent at arm's length en route to a 6-1, 6-4 win and an overall tie.
For the second time in as many days, freshmen Catanzarite and Wagle were victorious in back-to-back finished matches. Catanzarite, who clinched Friday's triumph over Cal Poly, was off first in this time. Her 6-4, 6-3 win versus Leung made the score 2-1. Wagle again dominated her second set after a close first one, beating Tara Chilton by a 7-5, 6-1 margin on Court 5.
Sato, who was Washington's hero in Friday's 4-3 win against Denver, bested Kimmi Hance – who was playing in her first-career dual match – by a 7-6(5), 6-4 score on Court 4.
Fortin pulled the Huskies back level on Court 2, where she topped Bolton in a 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 decision. Finally, Zupancic provided the heroics, recording a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory against No. 49 Vagramov to complete the comeback.
The Bruins return to action Friday, Feb. 4, when they welcome UC Santa Barbara to LATC. First serve is set for 1:30 p.m. PT. UCLA then faces off with Pepperdine the next day (1:30 p.m.) at Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center.
Tennis Match Results
Washington vs UCLA
1/29/2022 at Los Angeles, CA
(Los Angeles Tennis Center)
Washington 4, #4 UCLA 3
Singles competition
1. #68 Abbey Forbes (UCLA) def. Vanessa Wong (WASH) 6-1, 6-4
2. Sarah-Maude Fortin (WASH) def. Elysia Bolton (UCLA) 6-4, 1-6, 7-5
3. Nika Zupancic (WASH) def. #49 Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
4. Hikaru Sato (WASH) def. Kimmi Hance (UCLA) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
5. Elise Wagle (UCLA) def. Tara Chilton (WASH) 7-5, 6-1
6. Ava Catanzarite (UCLA) def. Kelly Leung (WASH) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Elysia Bolton/Elise Wagle (UCLA) def. Hikaru Sato/Vanessa Wong (WASH) 6-3
2. Sarah-Maude Fortin/Nika Zupancic (WASH) def. Ava Catanzarite/Abbey Forbes (UCLA) 7-5
3. Kelly Leung/Zoey Weil (WASH) def. Vanessa Ong/Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) 7-6 (7-5)
Match Notes:
Washington 5-0
UCLA 1-2; National ranking #4
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,6,5,4,2,3)
ITA Kickoff Weekend - Championship Match