SEATTLE – It was a classic Pac-12 showdown in Seattle, as the 26th-ranked Huskies knocked off UCLA for just the fourth time in program history, but the second time in the past two years. Washington (9-3, 1-0 Pac-12) secured a tough doubles point and went on to earn three singles wins, with junior Melissa Sakar coming up with the clutch clincher, in the 4-3 win at the Nordstrom Tennis Center.
With the Dawgs holding a 3-2 lead, the final two matches both went into third sets. Sakar had rallied from down a set and 3-5 in the second to win four games in a row and take her second set, 7-5, to force a third against Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer. After the two were tied at 3-3, Sakar reeled off the final three games in a row to clinch it. Sakar also clinched UW’s last ranked win, last Friday at Baylor.
“To beat UCLA two years in a row means a lot and shows how far the program has come and how hard the girls have worked to get us to this point,” said Head Coach Robin Stephenson.
“We’re playing with a lot of confidence. The girls have a lot of trust in themselves and in each other. We felt really ready for this match, I loved how the girls got ready for this match, just super calm and having fun in the locker room. They go out believing we can beat anybody. Having Mel and Hika out there the last two, you feel good about one or both of those going our way.”
It’s Mel again??????
She puts away UCLA for just the fourth Husky win in the series, but the second in the past two years!!
UW – 4??
UCLA – 2??#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/uQoFlGwHa7— Washington Women’s Tennis (@UW_WTennis) March 4, 2023
Washington took the 1-0 early match lead with two mirror wins at second and third doubles. Through a back and forth battles during doubles, Sarah-Maude Fortin and Erika Matsuda gave the Huskies their first win, over Ong/Vagramov, at third doubles, 6-3. Teammates, Astrid Olsen and Jennifer Kerr followed suit with their 6-3 win over Tian/Catanzarite at second doubles to clinch the point.
93rd-ranked senior Jennifer Kerr got the first singles win for the Dawgs at No. 4 singles, defeating Sasha Vagramov, 6-1, 6-4. Kerr is now 9-1 in singles play. Erika Matsuda fell short to Elise Wagle at No. 6 singles, awarding the Bruins with their first dual point. UCLA went on to earn their second point when 84th-ranked Kimmi Hance defeated Sarah-Maude Fortin, 1-6, 5-7 at No. 2 singles.
Despite her first set loss, Astrid Olsen lost just one game in her second and third…
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