The UCLA women’s tennis team (1-2) is scheduled to play its first match since Jan. 29 when it travels south to meet Rice (2-2) Friday in a neutral-site contest in San Diego. The Santaluz Club plays host, with first serve set for 1 p.m. PT. The Bruins had their two latest scheduled matches rained out in Northern California.
FOLLOW LIVE
Fans can receive results updates from San Diego Friday on the UCLA women’s tennis Twitter account (@uclawtennis).
LAST TIME OUT
UCLA was rained out of matches at Saint Mary’s and California, scheduled for Feb. 3 and 4, respectively. The then-No. 18 Bruins dropped a 4-1 decision to FIU Jan. 29 in the ITA Kickoff Weekend consolation match, completing their time at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center in Coral Gables, Fla. One day earlier, UCLA was outlasted by then-No. 24 Iowa State in a first-round contest. The Bruins were unable to capitalize on a 3-1 lead, built with the doubles point and singles wins by Ava Catanzarite and Fangran Tian, in that one.
UCLA VS. RICE
UCLA has prevailed in each of its three matchups with Rice. The programs most recently squared off during the 2012 NCAA Championships, when the Bruins registered a 4-0 round-of-16 win at Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. McCall Jones, Carling Seguso and clincher Robin Anderson logged straight-set singles victories for top-ranked UCLA, which took the doubles point without a loss. Stella Sampras Webster‘s Bruins have also defeated the Owls in 2006 and 2010. Both those decisions were made at Los Angeles Tennis Center.
IN THE RANKINGS
The latest ITA National Singles and Doubles Rankings came out Feb. 8 and feature four Bruins. Leading the way on the singles list is Ava Catanzarite, at No. 52. Fangran Tian is listed at a career-best No. 70, while Kimmi Hance checked in at No. 82. The tandem of Hance and Elise Wagle rose to No. 9 for doubles – a career high for both – thanks in part to claiming the ITA Southwest Regional Championships top prize.
FALL RECAP
Bruins made appearances at six events, including two national ones, during the fall. There were two championship performances, as Kimmi Hance and Elise Wagle teamed to win the ITA Southwest Regional Championships doubles title in San Diego, while the combination of Vanessa Ong and Sasha Vagramov took the Dennis Rizza Classic top prize in Rolling Hills Estates,…
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